Stirring Earth
by Azusasan
Summary: OLD AS DIRT, CRAP WRITING. Yaoi, OOCness, PicardxFelix Such an odd life these two lead as a twig and a cow... An illegal romance in sleepy Vale. Djinn peptalks. Alex the psychiatrist. Broken rules. It's gotta be somewhat interesting, right? EPILOGUE'd.
1. Under the Shade of the Trees

- Stirring Earth -  
  
.~.  
  
A/N: This is the sequel to The Matchmaker... And, yes, it IS a *shonen-ai*, if you think it's a joke, "Oh, Azusasan wouldn't write a shonen-ai! It's not her type!" Too bad, it ain't. I'm experimenting with this pairing, so I'll probably go back to revise all this later. I'm honestly not very comfortable writing this, as I AM a Christian, and homosexuality is frowned upon... But I've always got this idea flitting around, so I decide to catch it and work on it. So, yeah. ^^; Once again, if you don't like boys liking (or loving, for that matter) other boys, you should leave. Now. Oh, and, I don't own Golden Sun or Golden Sun 2. Too bad, huh?  
  
Categories: Romance/Angst/Drama/Slight humor now and then  
  
Pairings: PicardxFelix, on-the-side IsaacxMia, GaretxJenna, and IvanxSheba  
  
Setting: Three years after the end of The Matchmaker (Not counting the epilogue)  
  
Warnings for this chap: None -- unless the fact that Garet and Jenna are married scares ya. ^_~ Oh, and the thoughts Felix expresses at the beginning are his, but I agree with the baby thing. -_- I can't believe I was one of those! Urk! Pardon me. ^^;  
  
.~.  
  
Chapter one: Under the Shade of the Trees  
  
- Contemplating, blessing, and, remarkably, cows -  
  
.~.  
  
He'd never understand them as long as he lived. Never. He wasn't very much interested in having to deal with children -- especially babies. He didn't understand why Jenna was so fascinated by them. They were noisemakers, smellmakers, and a complete nuisance to have around, since you had to adjust your time according to when they napped. Women and their crazy antics. He sighed.  
  
Jenna was worried about him -- since when did his kid sister worry about him, and not the other way around? Hm. Since she got married to Garet. Garet, of all people... Why couldn't she have chosen some other nice man that could actually hold a conversation with her without fishmouthing and drooling at the prettiness of his wife? He wasn't saying Jenna wasn't pretty, but, please! Jenna would have to carry a bucket around for the man soon.  
  
Jenna was worried about the fact he wasn't married yet. So? He was twenty- three now, why did it matter if he remained a bachelor for life or not? Most of the women who were infatuated with him had given up on him and married other decent-enough men. And whenever she asked, he would just say that "The 'One' hasn't shown up on my porch yet." Whenever she would ask if he was just NOT attracted to women altogether, he would dodge the question and retreat. Jenna had to be so prying...  
  
Women were too fussy, too romantic, and too... women-like for his taste. So he'd remain a bachelor his entire life, and? Isaac would always joke that he'd end up with another guy somehow (And Mia would always hit him for suggesting some so disgusting). And they would all laugh, but he would always feel some sort of empty, bottomless pit-sort of feeling in his stomach after the laughter subsided. Would he ever find someone to love, to care for? He hoped so, in some little portion of his mind.  
  
Was it only a short time ago that Jenna and Garet married? He shook his head. No, that was... was... A few years ago, really. Three years. Amazing how Jenna could stand the oaf... Well, what was use bad-mouthing Garet? Jenna was happy, she had someone to love and care for, and he only cared that his kid sister was happy. Ah, how the time flew... He felt old, even though Kyle still called him the 'unmarried handsome youth.' Right...  
  
He sighed and got up, standing beside the tree. The cool, playful breeze whipped his hair around his face -- his face that was always so serious, and needed to 'lighten up a little,' as Jenna said. He had a guest at home, who was doubtlessly waiting for him to return. The little house was so empty for some reason... Well, obviously. His parents were at Vault visiting cousins they hadn't seen in a few months. Jenna was staying with Garet's family at the moment. Garet's mother had another child (Goodness gracious, he had thought) and Jenna was learning from her. He had always wanted the house to himself as a youth, but now it felt so desolate...  
  
His guest was Picard, who had recently came back after a year from Lemuria. He carried good and bad news. The good news was that Weyard would remain stable for the next few centuries, but the bad news was, the continents could start breaking up before that. It was sort of depressing, but at least he had an excuse for his solemn face all the time. The fact they could partially be the cause of Weyard splitting into little bits and chunks made him feel guilty.  
  
He began walking down the hill, entering back into Vale. Someone greeted him, and he gave a customary nod. He stopped in front of the large chunk of Psynergy stone. A white gleam shone from one of its sharp angles. The purple-to-black color of the stone seemed to glow, even in the late afternoon's haze. It was the symbol of Vale...  
  
"Oh, Felix!"  
  
He turned to see an all-too-familiar face running towards him.  
  
"What is it, runt?" He asked gruffly. Ivan chose to ignore his comment.  
  
"Jenna's looking for you. Honestly, where *were* you? You've been gone the whole day, almost!"  
  
"I was thinking, and I can't think when my sister and her friends are bouncing all around me like there's no tomorrow. What does Jenna want?"  
  
"Something about her and Garet..." Ivan said. He lifted an eyebrow. 'Her and Garet.' Definitely not a good sign. He pat Ivan on the head fondly, then began walking up the numerous stairs to Garet's home.  
  
"I'm not a runt." Ivan said sourly, watching the Venus adept disappear behind a small clump of trees.  
  
"Tell me, then, why are you so short?"  
  
He whirled, a menacing look gracing his normally cheery features. He paused, as it wasn't his wife of barely a month, Sheba. In fact, it was Mia, a basket of fruit balanced on one hip. She was smiling, her hair tied back into a loose ponytail.  
  
"Let me take that, Mia," Ivan said, reaching for the basket. Had her stomach grown so much overnight? "Why doesn't Isaac do the grocery- shopping?"  
  
"I'm fine, Ivan." Mia said, slapping his hands away, chuckling. "If Isaac does the shopping, we normally end up with peaches instead of tomatoes."  
  
Ivan grimaced as he walked with her towards their home. Mia was three and a half months into her pregnancy. Isaac was fretting, thinking that all the steps would somehow make her have a miscarriage. Mia thought he was nuts. (He probably was.) Mia had wise eyes that seemed to know what he and everyone else was thinking, without being a Jupiter adept and using Mind Read. All the Valeans had learned to respect her vast knowledge and superb healing abilities.  
  
He sort of envied Isaac sometimes, but don't tell Sheba that.  
  
.~.  
  
Felix knocked on the door, impatient. 'Her and Garet.' That bothered him to no end. Frayed his nerves. Ticked him off. Whatever. Garet's mother opened the door. She smiled at him, as per usual, and invited him in. Jenna was walking out of the kitchen, clutching a small bundle of cloth. Garet followed after her, a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Hi Felix." Jenna came over to him, presenting the small child proudly, as though it were her own.  
  
"What did you need to tell me?" Felix asked, a knot of worry forming in his stomach. Jenna beamed at him.  
  
"I'm pregnant!"  
  
He paled and staggered backwards, not believing his ears. Jenna was pregnant with this idiot's son! And -- and -- hadn't she agreed she wasn't ready for this kind of stuff yet? Garet wasn't ready to be a father! And he wasn't ready to be an uncle!  
  
"I'm kidding, Felix, jeez!" Jenna held his shoulder with her one free arm. Garet sniggered. "It was a joke, Garet made me!"  
  
"Mars, that look on your face, Felix, oh, that was priceless!" Had this story been set in modern day Vale, he would've said he wanted a camera. Jenna looked sternly at Garet but couldn't smother her giggles either. Felix collapsed into a chair, rubbing his forehead.  
  
"Seriously, Jen. What's going on?"  
  
"I, um... I was thinking about becoming pregnant. But, that's not the case."  
  
Felix involuntarily shuddered.  
  
"We were thinking about building a house of our own, Felix. It's a bother being a married couple and still have to sleep in separate houses."  
  
Felix eyed her as she trailed off. It was *better* if they slept in separate houses, separate beds, but he gestured her to go on.  
  
"So.... Do we have your blessing? Can we build a house for ourselves, and raise our children in?"  
  
It was Valean custom to have a close relative, be it parent, sibling, or grandparent, grant their blessing before building a house. The more blessings the better -- it would keep ghosts away, as well as vermin, and drafts. (0.o;;;....) As well as thieves.  
  
Felix blinked.  
  
"Have you talked to Mother and Father about this?"  
  
"Err... Well, about that..."  
  
"You haven't?" He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Um....... No. But I'm guessing they'll be okay about it!" She said quickly, as he began to sit up.  
  
He stroked his chin thoughtfully while Jenna cooed at the baby and Garet fidgeted nervously beside her. Finally, he yawned, drawing her attention back to him.  
  
"You have my blessing. Jenna, Garet, may both of your lives be filled with your love for each other and the beauties of life." He recited, rubbing at an eye tiredly. Jenna whooped, frightening the baby and causing it to cry. Immediately, she began cajoling it, and Garet nodded to him thankfully. But the Venus adept was asleep.  
  
.~.  
  
All was silent when Felix awoke later that day, except for the rhythmic ticking and tocking of the antique clock in the hallway. As he glanced out the window, he found that Sol was getting into bed -- otherwise, the sunset blinded his poor eyes momentarily. Looking around warily, he saw the door opened a crack, and his coat folded neatly on a chair.  
  
"Felix, I thought I told you to put your book down and sleep for at least a few hours."  
  
He blinked and looked back towards the door, the blue-haired Lemurian leaning on the doorframe.  
  
"It was a good book, I wasn't about to put it down until I at least finished the next chapter." He argued, drawing his legs around him.  
  
"And the next chapter happened to the be the last chapter." Picard said dryly. Felix snorted. "You're not going to be able to sleep tonight, what with taking a nap for a few hours this afternoon."  
  
"I've never really gotten a lot of sleep the past few years. Garet IS my brother-in-law, you know. And I always seemed to have had the longest watches during the night while we were traveling."  
  
Picard chuckled as Felix glared at him.  
  
"It wasn't my fault. You weren't just about ready to argue with your sister, much less when Sheba and Jenna ganged up on you."  
  
"You didn't defend my rights as and elder brother." Felix said, standing. "And Jenna... Don't let me get started on her. Or Sheba."  
  
"You liked Sheba, didn't you?" Picard asked, gently, knowing Felix could be rather sensitive about these sort of subjects. Felix sighed, walking past him and into the hallway. Picard followed him.  
  
"I liked Sheba... Almost as another sister. Similar to Jenna," he said slowly, walking down the staircase. "Only Sheba seems more... I don't know. They're nearly the same, yet they're different. Sheba is rather knowledgeable, however..."  
  
"Oh, and Jenna isn't?"  
  
"Jenna's my sister, Picard." Felix said tersely, re-tying his hair. "Jenna is just Jenna. She has a category of her own."  
  
"I see." Picard was, however, rather lost on the subject, rather regretting ever asking his friend in the first place.  
  
"How'd I get back here anyway?" Picard blinked, Felix's voice interrupting his thoughts as of whether his late-night reading had damaged his head or not.  
  
"I carried you back. Why do you ask?"  
  
"I certainly didn't walk back here, now did I? I'd be mortified (though somewhat grateful) if Garet had to carry me back here, although I suppose falling asleep in his house would be worse..."  
  
"If you and Garet are brother-in-laws, how can you two still dislike each other so much?"  
  
"It's certainly progressed from 'hating' each other to 'disliking' each other, though, don't you think?" Felix said, a small upward tilt to his lips. Picard raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Felix."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Is this another case of sibling rivalry?"  
  
"Similar." He replied, walking over to the pantry to find a snack. Picard sighed.  
  
"You are strange..."  
  
"So says the man that reads romantic Lemurian poetry day in and day out and who is in his mid-to-late hundreds and still a bachelor?" Felix said mockingly, taking a bite out of the cookie.  
  
"You're the late-night reader, Felix. You also happen to be unmarried and a constant cookie-indulger." Picard said in reply, noting the fact Felix frowned when he mentioned the cookie thing. "I'm surprised you can eat all of those things and still look like a twig."  
  
"I am not a twig!" Felix cried, but it came out muffled, as his mouth was still full of cookie bits. Swallowing hastily, he pointed out, "IVAN is the twig."  
  
"True," Picard admitted. "But I still think you come pretty close to fitting the description of a twig. A rather pale twig, however."  
  
"So what are you in comparison? A cow?" Felix snorted, seeing a little mental picture of a Picard-cow.  
  
"But what would you rather eat? A twig or a cow?"  
  
"I wouldn't eat a cow just standing there, you know! Maybe chopped up and cooked, but not.... err... raw!"  
  
"So you'd rather eat a twig." Picard chuckled. Felix scowled darkly at him.  
  
"Possibly!"  
  
"What if it came off of a poisonous tree?"  
  
"What if I stick my Levatine down your throat?"  
  
"Currently, your Levatine isn't around."  
  
"Shut up. Kitchen knives?"  
  
"Now there's something! See you!"  
  
"Come back here, you idiot of a Lemurian!"  
  
"Not as long as there's something sharp and pointy in your hand that's made out of metal!"  
  
"Picard!"  
  
Too late. The door slammed in his face, and from inside the room, he could hear Picard laughing.  
  
"You idiot!"  
  
"You're strange!"  
  
"I'M strange? You're peculiar!"  
  
"I'm not the cookie-indulger! Or the twig!"  
  
"Well... I... I'm not the cow here!"  
  
.~.  
  
"Are Felix and Picard arguing again?" Isaac asked his wife, but by the 'same old, same old' look in his eyes, he already knew the answer.  
  
"Seems so. They act like an old married couple sometimes."  
  
"The old married couple we want to be someday?" Isaac smiled. Mia laughed. Then she paused.  
  
"...Is Felix calling Picard a cow?" She stuck her head out the open window, looking back and forth as the wind whipped her long hair in her eyes, but the wind blew the noise away from her ears.  
  
"It's certainly better than some of those other names he's called him before." Isaac remarked dryly, hearing a, "You act like a cow! As in, you're such a cow! And stop cowing around!" And then hearing an even less pleasant response in return. "If our children grow up in this kind of environment..."  
  
Mia sighed, withdrawing her head and settling next to him, his hand on her slightly raised stomach.  
  
"Remember, love, we're all weirdos here." Isaac whispered to her ear, and she chuckled softly at the reminder.  
  
.~.  
  
End I  
  
.~.  
  
Har, I loved the cow bit. ^_^ Review, as always...  
  
.~.  
  
-what about chickens?- 


	2. Rapids

- Stirring Earth -  
  
.~.  
  
Warnings: Picard's thoughts that happen to refer to Felix. . . . Slight shonen-ai in his introspectives. Oh, wait -- watch out for the ending. Really random bit there! Er, not so random. Yaoi! . . . . And Picard has a potty mouth! Only on his bad days.  
  
.~.  
  
Chapter two: Rapids  
  
- Emotions rushing out at you -  
  
.~.  
  
Felix scowled darkly at him while they ate dinner in silence. But he was smirking slightly, only causing the brunet to growl in an animalistic sort of way.  
  
"Is anything the matter, Felix? Indigestion, perhaps?"  
  
The Venus adept growled more.  
  
"Worried about being unmarried?"  
  
Felix kicked him.  
  
"Ow. Or is it the fact Garet's your brother-in-law? Or is it because Jenna's married to him?"  
  
"Shut up, Picard." With a sound *thok* of metal meeting wood, Picard noticed the knife next to his elbow, embedded into the table.  
  
"I think somebody needs more sleep." He said, dabbing at his mouth with his napkin. Felix watched him, daring him to turn around as he took their plates and placed them in the sink. The glare he was giving one of his closest friends could melt steel -- so it could easily melt human flesh, couldn't it?  
  
Finally, Picard finished the plates off. Felix was very unpleased to find that there were no scorch marks on him, or that there were no scratches, either. Dang it, and it supposedly worked with Garet, but only as long as the oaf was cooking... Hey! Wait a second....  
  
"Why are you still here, Felix?"  
  
Alright, this was just --  
  
Felix leaped at him.  
  
With a very uneloquent "Urk!" from Picard's mouth, they tumbled to the ground in a flurry of blue and brown, arms and legs.  
  
"You're such an idiot, Picard," Felix hissed, pinning his shoulders.  
  
"I thought we went over this?" Picard said demurely, finding Felix's eyes rather nice to look upon, even though they were currently clouded over with fury that erupted from unknown origins. The brunet's eyebrow twitched.  
  
"You're being an idiot."  
  
"You might as well be an idiot for calling me an idiot, for not only are you an idiot for calling me an idiot, only an idiot calls a Lemurian idiotic." Picard said quickly, hoping it would mess up the already-mentally unstable Felix and make him get off of him.  
  
Felix blinked, processing all of that in his mind.  
  
"Doesn't matter, you're still an idiot." He said, after a short time.  
  
"Can you get off of me, please?" Picard sighed.  
  
"I don't think so. I rather like seeing you this way -- as vulnerable."  
  
Picard blinked. Now he *knew* Felix was off his rocker.  
  
"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" He asked, an eyebrow tilting upwards.  
  
Felix blinked away the glaze covering his eyes, then blinked some more.  
  
"Did you just curse?"  
  
"I only curse when I have no idea as of what's going on, Felix. And normally, I start off my bad days with cursing. What did you mean exactly by that statement?"  
  
"I... I meant... never mind..." Felix got off of him, rubbing his head as he walked up the stairs, leaning on the railing heavily.  
  
"Are you sure it's not indigestion?" Picard called. There were some very colorful words that echoed back down to him. "I guess not."  
  
.~.  
  
-introspective-  
  
I'm not supposed to like Felix in that manner! Of course, it doesn't help that he has beautiful eyes. . . . . He doesn't seem to know what he's doing, or what he's saying... He doesn't know what he's doing to me.... Why? Damn that Felix. You aren't supposed to -- to. . . to fall in love with a friend! (Although a very homicidal friend at that.) It never works out, this kind of relationship isn't supposed to exist in Vale. . . What am I going to do?!  
  
.~.  
  
Picard was scowling at his pillow, who was currently offerning no spoken advice. He was clutching at the bedsheets in a white-knuckled grip. They, too, were silent, only rustling occasionally when he moved his hands. His eyes, normally bright like the morning sun, were gradually darkening as his tumultuous thoughts ransacked his mind endlessly.  
  
.~.  
  
What can you do when you're slowly falling in love with a friend that tries to kill you regularly and calls you a cow occasionally? I'm hopeless... I've fallen for a pale twig that enjoys bothering me. I must've really screwed up or something in my past life...  
  
.~.  
  
"Picard? I'm going to go to sleep." Felix said quietly at his door.  
  
"Why do you need to tell me?" He snapped. Felix blinked, running a hand through his loose hair.  
  
"Why are you so touchy now? Was it something I said earlier?"  
  
.~.  
  
Something you did earlier... Of course it's something you said. Everything you say... is like a song to my ears.... Gods, Felix is right, I *have* been reading too much Lemurian poetry as of late... Oh, and feeling your god-like body on mine... Good gods! That's just... uck...  
  
.~.  
  
"Sorry. I'm... I'm just thinking."  
  
"You're never so uptight when you think."  
  
"Well... Things change. People change, Felix. Everyone has mood swings now and then." Picard said tritely, refusing to face him silently. He knew Felix was frowning at him.  
  
"This can't be brought on by a mood swing." His voice was drawing nearer. Picard sighed.  
  
"It is, Felix." The bed squeaked as the brunet sat down on it. "Why else would I be angry at you for no apparent reason?"  
  
"I don't know, let me think," his voice dripped with sarcasm. "Earlier today, I came after you with kitchen knives after calling you a cow. And for several hours, I ignored your existence. At dinner, I gave you a further silent treatment, tried to make you lose an arm, then later tackled you and called you an idiot. I don't know what could make you mad." He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, his eyes stone-like in quality.  
  
Picard grit his teeth in frustration. Couldn't he just leave? Before either of them happened to do something particularly stupid?  
  
"Felix, just... just leave, please."  
  
Felix's pale hand brushed aside some of his hair, his hands lingering on his face momentarily.  
  
"Let me see your eyes."  
  
"No."  
  
"Let me see your eyes."  
  
"No! Felix, just go -- "  
  
And he found himself in a remarkably similar position as the one before, when Felix had tackled him.  
  
"Felix, I'm warning you!"  
  
"Go on ahead." Felix said softly, studying the Lemurian's eyes. Picard wanted desperately to take his own eyes off of the russet colored ones, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.  
  
.~.  
  
Why can he understand that I need my privacy sometimes? I know I'll do something stupid if he stays any longer! And why must he stare at my eyes? Can he tell my future just by staring at my eyes? ...Felix, you are an odd one...  
  
.~.  
  
"Felix?" Picard whispered softly. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Something's bothering you. It deals with somebody else, and you want to tell them, but you can't..." Felix said, his hands flat on Picard's chest. Picard blinked rapidly.  
  
"Uhm?"  
  
"I've been listening to Mia and Sheba too long, I think..." Felix chuckled morosely. He got off of the Mercury adept, not seeming to notice the heavy flush that had spread over Picard's cheeks, and for that, he was grateful. "I'll go now."  
  
"Felix, wait."  
  
The Venus adept paused at the doorway, not turning his head.  
  
"I... I'm sorry."  
  
Felix appeared to bow his head in acknowledgement, shutting the door softly with a click behind him.  
  
.~.  
  
Two days had already passed. Felix made no rude comments, or started arguments and, thankfully enough for Picard, he didn't try tackling him anymore. But the comments and the arguments -- he was used to receiving those and shooting off his own remarks as well. (The twig and the cow, remember?) He felt very much like picking up Felix and throwing him off a preferrably high cliff, but chances were, he wouldn't be able to 'cow around' with the boy anymore then.  
  
So, unable to vent his homicidal tendencies any other way, here Picard was, glaring daggers at Felix while he fidgeting, occasionally dropping things under his steady gaze. Picard's current goal was make him turn around and yell at him -- at least then, it'd be similar to arguing with each other. So he glared, glared some more, to the point his eyes were dry.  
  
Felix twitched, knowing Picard was still watching him. The Lemurian had such odd fetishes... Reading romantic Lemurian poetry at two in the morning (on occasions; he had to admit he read at even odder hours of the morning than that)... That was odd. Always insisting upon wearing those strange red ribbon-sorts of things around his wrists... That was odder. But staring at him? Since when was this a new hobby?  
  
"Picard, what do you want?" He said, managing to keep his voice rather even while he scrubbed at a plate, knowing very well it was completely clean.  
  
"Why... aren't you arguing with me? Or saying that I'm an idiot? And most importantly, why did you let the cow-thing drop?"  
  
"Why the hell do you want me to argue with you? I thought you enjoyed your peace and quiet and sanity of mind. And if I do remember correctly, you yourself said things change. People change. Everyone has mood swings."  
  
"This isn't a mood swing. And going a day, much less two days, without yelling, arguing, and making rude comments is just odd."  
  
"You can stay out of my personal life, Picard, and I'll be just chipper about it." Felix said, picking up a bowl. Odd, you say? He was slightly amused.  
  
"A mood swing doesn't last two days, I believe." Picard went on, ignoring his comment.  
  
"No, I suppose it doesn't." He set the bowl down. "But people do change. Alex has changed, hasn't he?"  
  
"He isn't on homicidal rampages anymore. I guess that is a change."  
  
"Ah, the wonders an old man with too much time on his hands can do to a poor, already-defeated soul."  
  
"Hm. And you? Does this mean you're going to be nice to Garet from now on? And not ridicule him in front of his children?"  
  
"You think? That'll be a lifelong sort of hatred -- er, dislike." He paused, suds slipping down his arm and dropping into the sink at his elbow. "And how'd *you* know about the kid-thing?"  
  
"I know about plenty of things." Picard said, smirking ever so slightly. Felix sighed.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you do, but they're the really useless things. Ow!" A spoon that he had left behind on the table was flung through the air and met his head with a satisfying *thunk.*  
  
"I knew it! Just a good ol' knock on the head and you'd be back to normal!"  
  
"A knock on the head normally means a concussion or at least a black eye for me, Picard. What makes you think a *spoon,* especially since I was back 'to normal' *before* -- "  
  
"Do shut up, Felix." Picard said, drumming his fingers on the table boredly.  
  
Felix flicked some suds at him, apparently forgetting he was dealing with a Mercury adept. Before he could have the chance to mutter, "Oh phoo on you," a jet of water had thoroughly doused him from the side.  
  
"Now you're really asking for it." He said, pointing a knife at Picard, who was whistling and looking innocent.  
  
"You know, you look really threatening when you're wet and your hair is all plastered to your skull." Picard snickered, and Felix lowered the knife, sighing.  
  
"You shut up, Picard, and while you're at it, finish the dishes for me." He trudged off, grumbling a few choice words under his breath while he went to change.  
  
.~.  
  
He looks kind of sexy wet. .....Good Iris! Did I just say that? Oh, I always knew it was a bad idea for me to even step *foot* in Vale...! I bet he looks hotter in suds. Good holy --  
  
.~.  
  
So things were settled. Felix was back to normal, running after him with knives, his Levatine (He had found it recently, much to Picard's chagrin), among other sharp pointy things. They nearly ran over Jenna, who had been exiting Garet's house, when they ran by. (And thusly, Jenna joined the chase as well.) And finally, after dog-piling Picard (The poor thing!), they carried him home (They as in the other residents of Vale, who had also joined the chase) and dumped him on the bed, where he fell into a deep sleep.  
  
But in the middle of the night, Picard awoke from a frightening dream of his parents crying out to him, to help him, but he could do nothing about it. He was only a wee child, so what could he do? That question loomed around him, in the shadowed corners of the walls, as he lay there in bed, his eyes wide, refusing to see the images dance before him. He heard a squeak of the floorboards -- please not now! Night intruders after a dream were just too much to handle . . . .  
  
"You okay, Picard?"  
  
Felix.  
  
"Fine..." He said in a quavering voice.  
  
"Nightmare?"  
  
He nodded. Felix sighed softly and padded over to the bed, his hands traveling through his aquamarine hair slowly.  
  
"Nothing can happen. Not with me around, anyhow." Felix assured him, his pale hand on the Lemurian's cheek. Picard found the ability to snort, however softly.  
  
"I feel so safe." He said, rolling his eyes. Felix smiled slightly. Picard shivered.  
  
"Are you cold?"  
  
"Not... really..."  
  
Felix's smile turned into a smirk as he dipped his head lower, his eyes unseen underneath his bangs. Both of his hands were on Picard's cheeks.  
  
"I can help you warm up," He said, his voice husky enough to send a chill down Picard's spine. He pressed their lips together in a fierce, passionate kiss, sparing no mercy for the Mercury adept. As his kisses traveled to his neck, his hands began wandering. His hands were quick, making short work of the loose shirt Picard wore, his fingers dancing over the muscled flesh.  
  
Picard hissed as Felix sucked on the flesh of his collarbone, his own hands working their way through Felix's dark tresses. He had to bite his lip to keep from screaming and waking up the rest of Vale, hard enough to make it bleed. It didn't help much that Felix's knee was prodding his inner thigh rather roughly.  
  
Felix was through with Picard's collarbone, and jerked back up to kiss him again, his lips beginning to swell with his ministrations. He leaned back, but only so far that he could see Picard's eyes (Which gleamed eerily like a cat's in the night).  
  
"I love....... cows."  
  
.~.  
  
"DAMMIT!" Picard yelled loudly as he hit the floor with a loud thud, more at the way his nice little dream ended rather than the unpleasant way he woke up. He panted heavily, wiping at the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand. Damnable dreams of his! (Har! I told you it'd be weird! X- P) Where'd cows come -- oh....  
  
"Picard? What's going on?"  
  
"Go away, Felix." He said dully, propping his chin up with a hand, sighing heavily.  
  
"What's going on? I heard a thud and then you cursed..."  
  
"Just go away, Felix, I'm starting my day off pretty damn badly if I do say so myself." He ground out testily, standing and throwing the blanket onto the bed.  
  
"You've cursed twice already! That normally signals -- "  
  
" -- Me starting my day off pretty badly. Just go away, Felix, I'm itching to kill someone."  
  
"I'm going, I'm going. What do you want for breakfast?"  
  
"Anything as long as it's not associated with cows in any way, in any form imaginable."  
  
There was a long pause before Felix answered.  
  
"No milk, then?"  
  
"Just go, Felix."  
  
.~.  
  
Damn the cows!  
  
.~.  
  
End II  
  
.~.  
  
Ha! Yaoi scene there! ^_^ ::Proud of herself::  
  
[Felix] *Growling*  
  
You know you like it. You don't get anyone else, right?  
  
[Felix] Shut up!  
  
I don't think you make your little fangirls do anything.  
  
[Felix] . . . . . . .  
  
So I thought. Anyhoo:  
  
**ChibiD**: WHERE? Where did you see those pictures?!?!! GIIIIVE MEEEE!  
  
[Felix] Nooo! Don't get them to her!! She'll just --  
  
::Shoves him out of the way:: Where? I've been looking all over, the most I've ever found are IsaacxGaret pictures, I find that pairing kinda bland... Tellllll meeeee!!!  
  
**Fortuna**: 0_0!! Wowiee... One of my idols comes up and reviews this little dinky shonen-ai story...  
  
[Felix] It's yaoi. Yeck.  
  
You know you like it! So shaddup, you never get any girls anyhow. And Picard -- ::Sighs dreamily:: -- is a hottie. You should be considering yourself lucky!  
  
[Felix] *Snorts*  
  
What have I done to deserve this honor? I get that feeling, like when Midnight C and Triad Orion reviewed the Matchmaker..... ::Sniffles::  
  
[Felix] Oh no, you've gotten her started... *Makes plot to kill Fortuna*  
  
::Kicks him:: None of that, now! Fortuna's kewl! And I'll be after your head! Which I already am.  
  
**Dragoness**: Har, yeah, cows. ^_^ Mooooo!  
  
[Felix] *Grumbles* Cows... Your freaking tribute to ASHLEY, the cause of the Apocalypse!  
  
The 'cause of the Apocalypse?' Nah, I'd say that's either me, Stephanie, Takuro, Luana, or their kid. Or, now that I think of it, Shadow and Taylor on sugar highs... Or Tsuka's cat... Or Tsuka herself... But... ::Shrugs:: But she'd obviously contribute. And anyhoo, world domination or world destruction is currently not the matter at hand! Review please!  
  
[Felix] *Sighs* Yes, for the sake of my sanity.  
  
PicardxFelix! PicardxFelix! PicardxFelix! ^o^  
  
[Felix] *Shudders*  
  
-dreams can be prophecies-  
  
[Felix] Yeah, right! *A globe hits him in the head* Ow!  
  
Urusai, baka. -__-++ 


	3. Stranger Amongst the Earth

- Stirring Earth -  
  
.~.  
  
Warnings: A touch of angst, slight shonen-ai, and a kiss (An accidental one at that, don't get your hopes up *too* high! More of that stuff in later chapters! Er, next chapter... yeah... If Felix lets me... ^^;;)  
  
[Felix] And of course I won't!  
  
....Which means "Good Lord YES!" in Felix-lingo. ^___^  
  
[Felix] . . . .  
  
.~.  
  
Chapter three: Stranger Amongst the Earth  
  
- The process of denial and mistakes that are meant to be made -  
  
.~.  
  
No. I do not like him. *I do **not** like him.* That's just wrong. It's bad. Why can't I like women? ....Dammit! I'm falling steadily in love with a guy! Particularly, my housemate! Er, roommate, something like that! A guy I enjoy calling a cow! This isn't right... Oh gods... Why...  
  
.~.  
  
Felix curled up tighter in a ball, sniffling softly. He should've just married Sheba when he had the chance, but no... He let Ivan have her. Those two belonged together, anyhow... He'd only get in the way. But how the hell did Sheba fit into this? ...She didn't. That was the thing... He had his heart set on someone else...  
  
"Feeelix!" Came Picard's cheery voice from down the hallway.  
  
"Go away." He grumbled, the pillow muffling his voice.  
  
"Oh, come on, Felix!"  
  
"I don't feel good."  
  
A slight pause.  
  
"Let me see!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"I'm a healer, Felix!"  
  
"You can't -- arugh! Fine! Come in!"  
  
"Does being sick make you as cranky as Jenna on one of her bad days?"  
  
"Apparently so." Felix said, fidgeting slightly as the blankets grew too warm. Picard snatched the pillow away from his head, holding it away from him when he tried to reach for it. "My gods, look at your hair!"  
  
"What about my hair?"  
  
"It standing up, Felix."  
  
"...Oh. But doesn't it do that normally?"  
  
"Half a foot?"  
  
"Err..."  
  
"Now what about this illness you have?"  
  
Felix pillowed his head on his arms, sighing.  
  
.~.  
  
You could heal all of my physical injuries, Picard -- bruises, cuts, cracks in the skull due to Jenna's frying pan, internal bleeding -- but you can't heal actual inner wounds, now can you? You can't mend a broken heart, or a heart twisted and messed up...  
  
.~.  
  
"I... I don't know."  
  
"You don't know?  
  
"I have no idea what my illness is... exactly..." What a lie, Felix...  
  
"You... You don't?"  
  
"Picard, I just said that!"  
  
"Sorry." Picard frowned. "I'm just. . . .err... well... It bothers me to know that you might have some fatal illness I could cure if you just hadn't misplaced the name."  
  
Felix grimaced, turning away from him and feeling rather foolish of himself. Picard didn't need to worry that he was acting odd all of a sudden... And although he had heard of some stories that a fair maiden died of heartbreak (Because her fluke-of-a-swordsman-lover wasn't *supposed* to be out on the battlefield at all)... since when the hell was he a 'fair maiden?' (Of course, his sister would immediately say he looked like one enough to pass for one, with enough stuffing down the front of the shirt.)  
  
Picard shifted uneasily next to him, and Felix remembered that he was there. He lifted his head a bit to stare at him better.  
  
"Could you just... give me some time to myself?"  
  
"Are you sure it's not life-threatening?"  
  
Felix had to smile, however grimly it was.  
  
"You worry too much."  
  
Picard was about to protest, but Felix shoved him off the bed with his feet. With an undignified whump and a soft stream of curses, Picard stood back up to scowl at him briefly, before striding away.  
  
.~.  
  
Picard... I'm sorry, but I have no idea how you'll take something like that, and if I'm lucky, I'll fine some girl to marry before I... yeah... Oh, who am I kidding? Who could I marry now? A tree? I'd have better luck with a shrub than a woman! ....I need to stop criticizing myself... But really, what can you say to your housemate -- err, something like that -- when you might be falling into a pit of despair because you might love them? Oh, sure, Picard, you can heal that. Heal my heart. And, oh gods, I'm sounding like a poet...  
  
.~.  
  
Felix tossed his head around, as though in a feverish daze. He was trying to rid himself of those irritating thoughts, but at the moment, nothing was being dumped out. He was afraid of being shunned by the rest of Vale, his friends, his parents, his sister... People who happened to have a romantic liking to those of same gender were not generally accepted in Vale. He knew everytime Garet said a snide joke referring to that topic, all bustling activity in the kitchen would stop a moment. Sadly enough, most of the time, Garet was referring to him. And it only helped to raise the suspicions of Garet's parents, as well as Isaac's. Why couldn' they stay out of his hair?  
  
There was a soft pit-pat. For a moment, he thought it was his Djinn, but when it gradually became louder, unless Echo was leading an army of Djinn, it was rain. Great, something else to effectively dampen his already sour mood. There was a squeak, and -- speak of the devil, a little brown Djinni sat on his stomach.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked it grumpily. It trod up his stomach, hopped onto his chin, and when he shifted, it walked across his cheek to his ear. ....Not good.  
  
/FELIX!/  
  
"Shut up!" He said, trying to flick it off, but the Djinn stood, er, sat, as though rooted to his earlobe.  
  
/Stop being so depressed-like! None of your Djinn like it, your "sad"-aura is radiating off of you and you don't know it, so you can't clear it up! If it's bothering you so much, go down there and jump Picard, or something! (You know *they'll* like it, at the very least!) AND YOU LISTEN HERE, BOY! I don' wanna be here either, and you don' want me here 'ither, but I got elected, and I'll get a square slap in the rump if I don't give you a pep talk! (Djinn rantings! ^_^)/  
  
"That's a disturbing thought," Felix said dryly, and the Djinni leaped up and down indignantly.  
  
/You! LISTEN! I know you're mad at yourself -- you didn't marry one of those little prissies when you had the chance! You're mad at Isaac and Garet, and obviously Ivan, who you have a natural dislike for -- because they're making snide comments about you! You don't like it, even if they are just kidding! SO POUND THEIR FACES IN, BOY! And most of all, you're mad at Picard, because he HAS YOUR HEART! And I know that sounds cheesy, stop yer snorking!/ It stomped madly before continuing, disgruntled. /And you can't get your thoughts straight -- you're worried that Isaac and all will hate you, because you love Picard, you're worried Jenna will hate you, and try and get rid of you as a sibling, you're worried your parents will hate you, you're worried that Vale will hate you! But think! If it weren't for ya -- they wouldn't be here to try and kill ya!/  
  
"Oh, aren't you uplifting." Felix sighed. The Djinni bounced again.  
  
/And you and Isaac, Garet, you're childhood friends! Jenna's your sis, she isn't gonna disown you any time soon, boy! BOY! Your parents love ya. Their love is the greatest gift of all, some say./ The Djinni's voice weakened slightly. Felix raised an eyebrow. /But that's not the point! You gotta express your feelings! EXPRESS, boy! E-X-P-R-E-S-S!/  
  
"Great, I have a spelling-bee-slash-Djinni."  
  
/SHADDUP! It's my job, and don' give me that look! So you go down there, tell Picard -- and you give him a damn good kiss, too, or I'll personally smack ya hard -- tell Isaac and your pals, your sis, your parents, when you think the time's right. You got it? Tell me you got it, I need some water./  
  
Felix blinked again. Veerrry slowly.  
  
"Umm....?"  
  
The Djinni sighed, or at least it appeared to.  
  
/I think you're just naturally hopeless... Anyhow, gotta skit, and kiss him like there's no tomorrow! 'Cause there might not be! Yeah!/ And it disappeared with a little poof of brown smoke. Felix groaned.  
  
"I didn't need a Djinni-pep talk, thanks."  
  
/Too late, huh, boy?/ A little smug voice said in the corner of his mind. He scowled.  
  
"Idiot." He sighed, sitting up. That Djinni had one mean additude... Probably Geode, that one always had a few... issues...  
  
/HEY!/  
  
"Go away," He said, trying to flatten his hair a few inches. He just wasn't about to jump Picard you know, but he'd... err... try... He meant, er, not *jumping* him, more like. . . . . Ah, screw it.  
  
He sat on his bed a moment, gathering his wits and his courage to go down and face Picard after that 'pep talk' Geode (He thought it was Geode) had given him. With a snort of resignation (And an idea to possibly murder those Djinn later), he got up, gathered a blanket around him -- as it was still drafty in the house -- and stalked downstairs.  
  
Since Picard was busying himself in the kitchen, he chose to sit nearby the window, his hair loose and, unfortunately, still sticking up a *bit* more than normal. The rain was a drizzle outside, beating a slow, steady metronome-rhythm, the clouds dark and stormy looking, promising heavier rain later that night. Amazing, the weather completely conveyed his own emotions...  
  
"Here," Picard said softly, handing him a mug. He glanced inside -- hot chocolate.  
  
The Lemurian sat down opposite him, sipping a cup of his own. In the dim light of the house and the clouds, he looked rather mysterious. Mysterious, and... -- oh, come off it, you old mind! You know he is -- rather handsome. His hair nearly sparkled in the dim light...  
  
.~.  
  
Oh, oh, oh! Bad Felix!  
  
.~.  
  
"Felix?" Picard said tentiavely, curling his fingers around the mug to keep them warm. "What are you thinking?"  
  
"I, oh..." He closed his eyes a moment, feeling a rush of nausea hit him. There was a shifting sound, and Picard was next to him, a hand warmed by the liquid of the mug on Felix's cheek. He wanted so badly to melt into that light touch... He snapped out of it. "Picard, give me some room!"  
  
"Sorry." The Lemurian said sheepishly, sitting back down. Felix didn't know whether that was a blush or not on his face, the dim lighting not only made him ranther desirable, it also shadowed most of his face. He sighed.  
  
"I... Um..." How could he say this? Something like that? Something as TRAUMATIZING as that?  
  
.~.  
  
It's not supposed to be traumatizing... Oh, but I can't... I can't love him... of all people... Garet will hate me, try and hurt me... Isaac... I don't know... Mia will cry, doubtlessly... I don't want to raise such a ruckus over who I love! I just wanted to -- to marry, settle down, have a child or two with my *wife,* like Isaac has... But Fate always had other plans for me, doesn't it? Damn... Why, Picard? Why do you have such an odd affect on me? I can't love you. I can't. So I won't...  
  
.~.  
  
Felix already felt his resolve crumbling as Picard glanced at him. He looked away, wanting to back upstairs, jump under the covers, and stay there for the rest of eternity, even though Picard probably wouldn't have it. Curse that stupid Djinni...  
  
.~.  
  
I... Oh, this is terrible. I want to touch him so badly, but then, it'll all go down the drain... I won't have anywhere to go then. But, there has to be someplace -- no... Everyone has to believe in the theory that a man and a woman are always destined to be, never two men, never two women. But there has to be someone who understands... Nobody here in Vale understands, Garet's always been a womanizer, Isaac's always liked Mia, and Ivan -- if he didn't have time for women, he'd go straight to the books. And let's not even go to Kraden. Alex...  
  
...I thought I liked Alex before... Once... But I always had the thought something between him and Saturos (Or Menardi, all three of them were rather suspicious characters) was going on... So maybe Alex would understand. Yet I. . . .  
  
.~.  
  
Felix stood suddenly. Picard appeared to start.  
  
"What are you -- "  
  
"I'm going to visit Alex." He said in a no-nonsense sort of voice, meaning Picard didn't have a single say in this matter. "...I need to ask him something personal."  
  
"Something personal you can't share with me?" Picard jutted in. Felix froze. Damn him!  
  
"No. I'm sorry.... But you wouldn't understand..."  
  
"I wouldn't understand what?"  
  
Felix glared at him, going upstairs to retrieve his cloak and scarf. Picard stilled, looking rather miffed however.  
  
As he stepped out into the rain, knowing fully well Picard was glaring at him from the window (He could see a curtain move out of the corner of his eye, and that blue *was* rather hard to miss), he set off for Kraden's house, where, amazingly enough, Alex was still housed. (Once again, he felt a pang of pity for Alex.)  
  
.~.  
  
Ohh, so the jerk thinks he can nose around in my business whenever he likes? Well, I, I.... Damn it..... This might not work! Or it might... Keep your spirits up... He might know something, but since when did Alex ever know anything *useful?* Oh, I just know the gods are laughing up in God- Haven or gods know where they live at.... At me... Stupid stupid stupid...  
  
.~.  
  
Much too quickly enough for him, Felix found the worn wood of Kraden's cottage door in front of him. Closing the umbrella with a sigh, he knocked on the door, knowing Alex was likely to answer, as Kraden was getting along in his years and couldn't use his ears nearly as often as he could had.  
  
"Ye -- oh, hello, Felix." Alex said, blinking demurely up at him, and some eerie reason told Felix that Alex was mentally undressing him. Brushing away the stray thought -- it'd be better if it was Picard, he thought to himself crossly, then mentally slapped himself for that -- he slipped past Alex into the warm room. Kraden was lounging on an old chair in front of the blazing fire.  
  
"Hello, Kraden." Felix said loudly. Kraden looked over to him and gave a half-hearted wave. "What's wrong with him now?" He asked Alex.  
  
"He's miffed that I called him deaf earlier today, but you know it's only true... That, and I circled his next birthday on the calendar in red and green ink."  
  
Felix blinked.  
  
"Alex, I think you're inhuman sometimes..." He sighed, moving toward the stairs to Alex's room, which had been built with the help of the other Valeans.  
  
"Hmph," was his reply.  
  
.~.  
  
Alex is giving me the creeps.... Staring at me..... Gods, why didn't I stay home? (With Picard.) Dammit! I hate this... If he -- alright, I'm going to kick him...  
  
.~.  
  
Felix managed to restrain himself as Alex stared at him again, his blue eyes unblinking. Yep, Alex had changed. Living with Kraden for three or so years really can damage the soul....  
  
"Alex... I, er, came... to.. ah...."  
  
"Discuss something with me that's fairly personal, yes?" He blinked slowly. Felix gulped, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise.  
  
"How do you -- "  
  
"Living with Kraden... you know." He said dismissively. This. . . oh, never mind.  
  
"I'm in love... with a guy." He said, his voice ashamed. He stared at the spotless floor as Alex stared at him.  
  
"Oh?" Alex was curious -- very curious... "With whom?"  
  
"Um... Can I leave that private for now?"  
  
Alex nodded slowly. Felix resisted the urge to scream for mercy.  
  
"And I've been thinking... You... You... *understand,* don't you?" Felix said desperately, clenching and unclenching his fists unconsciously. "And stop staring at me!"  
  
Alex ignored his last demand and gazed at him thoughtfully, as though contemplating the pros and cons of telling him the answer.  
  
"Yes... Yes, I do, as a matter of fact."  
  
He let out a sigh of relief. Alex's eyes narrowed slightly.  
  
"But I am not going to tell you exactly who..."  
  
"That's fine," Felix said quickly. Making Alex fall into one of his silent moods now was not at the top of his to-do list.  
  
"And you are trying to deny this love, aren't you?"  
  
Why was it Felix was beginning to get the idea that Alex was becoming his personal psychiatrist?  
  
"Yes... I'm not sure how everyone else will take it... And, I, well, I want to stay on their good side."  
  
Alex sighed, which was odd, considering he never sighed around anyone else except for possibly in exasperation with Kraden.  
  
"You need to ignore that," Alex said fervently, leaning forward slightly. Felix raised an eyebrow. He *was* becoming a personal psychiatrist.  
  
"And why's that? I can... I can... er..." He fumbled for a good word, but nothing popped up, and he scowled darkly for a moment.  
  
"You can deny yourself of love? That's pathetic for even you, Felix."  
  
Felix lunged to smack him over the head, but Alex caught his fist calmly enough and placed it down, his eyes narrowing even further.  
  
"I'm sorry," He hastily apologized. "It's just that... I'm used to only getting remarks like that around either Picard or Garet..."  
  
Alex's brain was doing a quick calculation. Meaning: Garet = married. Garet = straight. Garet comments = Felix hits. Picard = unmarried. Picard = ??? Picard comments = ??? And those question marks were not a good sign for our Mercury adept, now were they? But he did not tell Felix of this calculation, or the fact he had just figured out poor Felix was in love with the Lemurian.  
  
"You do not deny yourself of love, Felix. I did that once... But I was such a fool then." Alex said sternly, his voice tapering off slowly. "If you do love him... And are willing to put aside those stupid fears of yours" -- he ignored the glare given to him -- "you won't regret doing so."  
  
.~.  
  
Alex is really scaring me...  
  
.~.  
  
Felix thought for a moment... If was Alex said was true -- and that was likely -- then... Well, was he willing to put it all on the line for just a romance that could end up making him wish he had ignored Picard from the start? As he could see it, the numbers weren't coming out so good...  
  
...But then again, since when did he care about math?  
  
"Thanks, Alex."  
  
"You're welcome, Felix." Alex murmured. "Good luck."  
  
Felix nodded to him and headed downstairs, said good-bye (loudly) to Kraden, and set off on his way back home, his spirits uplifted slightly with Alex's talk. Only then did he realize he had gotten another pep talk of sorts.  
  
As he drew near to him home, closing the umbrella, he saw the curtains shift again, and the door opened, revealed a still-very-miffed-looking Picard. He gave him an apologetic smile, but, klutzy as always, he tripped over the doorstep, landing on Picard's chest. Ah, but...  
  
...their lips met as well, for a brief, chaste kiss. Picard, being rather shocked by this, took a large step back, making Felix drop to the floor with a thud. (I'm feeling rather nasty to Felix today, he threw a pot at me... -__-;) Felix lay there, dazed, a moment, more by the kiss than the heavy fall he had just taken. Picard didn't have any hellish idea as of what to do. So it was only seemed perfect timing then that Jenna came in through the still-open door, demanding from Picard the reason why her brother was sprawled out unelegantly on the floor and he wasn't doing anything to help.  
  
Ohohohoho, the love of sisters....  
  
.~.  
  
End III  
  
.~.  
  
XD Ha!  
  
[Felix] *Grumbles*  
  
Booyah! Anyhow, enough of my victory dancing:  
  
**Taylor**: Well, you always knew I was weird... Kinda shocked to learn I liked yaoi, eh? Hey, you learn something new every day. My bird likes strawberries! Didn't know that yesterday, right? Right!  
  
[Felix] *Shakes his head*  
  
**Dragoness**: Hee.... Yeah, you like it, Felix! I KNOW YOU DO!  
  
[Felix] Why don't you ask Picard too?  
  
Oh, I would, but Vilya currently owns him... or somebody else, I have no real idea. 0o;; Doesn't matter, you're MY muse!  
  
[Felix] I'm the substitute muse!  
  
Whatever, you're still a MUSE. ^_^  
  
**Killing Perfection**: Meh? Oh, well, working on it! I got seven chapters in total... Two chapters done, three in the works... So, yeah, that's why I'm updating so quickly. Hn...  
  
**Shadow**: Since when could anyone say '...!'? I thought that was Isaac... No, Isaac and Felix only said either '....' or '!!!' or something along those lines... Ha, Felix, said 'Why?' during that challenge with Moapa or something! ^_^ Loved that, oh, and the end... Kawaii ending, but I'm getting off topic. It says shonen-ai TO YAOI! ...Oh, er, the R-thing? ^_^;;; ::Sweats:: Umm...  
  
[Felix] What've you been doing?!!  
  
Nothing... Oh, and, er, Taku, Luana was looking for you. ^_^;; She had a mace the last time I saw her...  
  
[Felix] That woman's a sadomasochist...  
  
Oh, really? Why, Stephanie...  
  
[Felix] Hold that thought for a preferrably long time. 0o  
  
**Taidigimon** To your review for the Matchmaker - I'm thinking Mercury adepts can sense that sort of thing. I've read in Kadevi chan's story, Embrace the Stars (Wonderfulous fic!) that Mia could prevent pregnancies... Whether this is actual fact or not, I'm not sure, but Mia seems smart enough to know when she's pregnant, even a few days afterwards. And for this review - I've read it somewhere... Umm... Don't remember where. But as they say, it's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. ^_^;; I remember signing a petition against the release of some show called Corpus Christi, where they had Jesus as a homosexual. I've heard recently that it's out, however, in like Russia, but... err...  
  
[Felix] *Shudders*  
  
It's better with Felix and Picard, ne? ^^;  
  
[Felix] *Growls*  
  
Don't make me throw another globe at you.  
  
[Felix] Why a globe?  
  
It was the only thing I could reach for at the moment that wasn't excessively heavy....  
  
[Felix] ............  
  
Har.  
  
**Piro Flare**: Um, yay? ^_^  
  
**Akiko**: Yeah, my world views change daily... It took a while for me to balance out the pros and cons of writing a yaoi fic... But then I thought, who the hell cares? So, yeah.  
  
**Reyan**: Oho!  
  
[Felix] ....?  
  
"Saying" something like that is virtually impossible, Felix...  
  
[Felix] How did you know I said it, then, hm?  
  
I have my ways. Anyway... We'll see, ne? In my other ficlet, it's a whole PicardxFelixxIsaac fiasco-triangle, but I think I need to revise it some more...  
  
[Felix] Oh, why? Because I'm acting like a total slut in that one? You kill Mia off? Isaac has lovebites?!!  
  
Felix, shaddup. You act like a slut all the time, you're so hellishly annoying. I don't really like Mia. And it only makes sense that Isaac has lovebites. ^o^  
  
[Felix] *Hisses*  
  
Rrrright... You know you like the attention.  
  
-some things happen on account of mistakes-  
  
[Felix] That's for sure!  
  
::Throws a dictionary at him::  
  
[Felix] Ow! x_x 


	4. Learning How to Swim

- Stirring Earth -  
  
.~.  
  
Warnings: Shonen-ai, bridging on yaoi... Wait, it IS yaoi. o0; This chapter to Riyn, who requested more Alex! ^__^ Ooo, Alex-psychiatry -- wouldn't any girl die for that treatment?  
  
[Felix] Hmph. -.-;  
  
.~.  
  
Chapter four: Learning How to Swim  
  
- Experiments and kisses -  
  
.~.  
  
The sun had managed to pull through of the clouds. The grass was still wet, the leaves of the trees sent sprays of water when the wind whistled by quickly. Mia breathed in the 'new-earth' smell that came after a good rainfall.  
  
"A beautiful day... Finally!"  
  
"A beautiful day for a beautiful woman. Makes sense, doesn't it?"  
  
"Isaac!" Mia giggled as Isaac pecked her on the cheek, standing beside her.  
  
"It's only the truth." Isaac said pointedly. Mia frowned good-naturedly.  
  
"You flatter me too much."  
  
"It makes sense to flatter you! You helped save the world!"  
  
"You helped too! Actually, you probably did the most out all of us! Except maybe Felix..."  
  
"Why Felix?" He blinked, obviously confused.  
  
"Well -- Felix was burdened with lighting the lighthouses, wasn't he? He knew all along what he had to do, but halfway through, we joined them, after chasing them all over Angara and Gondowan." Mia said. Isaac nodded.  
  
"Yes, that is true. Speaking of Felix, I haven't heard him and Picard yelling at each other the past few days."  
  
"Oh, the cow-thing?" Mia smiled.  
  
"Yeah, the cow-thing. Of all the things he could've come up with..."  
  
"Isaac, remember, our children have to grow up in a good environment."  
  
.~.  
  
--Earlier...  
  
With an earth-shattering cry, the rooster awoke all of Vale as the sun began peeking over the northern mountains. Yes, that included Felix. So, with a tremendous 'WHUD!', our beloved Earth adept met the floor. The very cold floor.  
  
"Ack... Beds need to be longer in width sometimes..." He grumbled, wriggling out of his constricting blankets. Swearing under his breath to kill that bird, he tossed the pillow back onto his bed, finding, much to his chagrin, that with the meeting-the-icy-floor-at-sunrise sort of thing had completely woken him up. Sighing grumpily, Felix trod downstairs, giving his sister a sleepy "Good morning," but she didn't look too happy with being up at five.  
  
"That... damned... bird..." Jenna said, blinking sleep from her eyes. "I... shall... eat... it..."  
  
"Jenna?" Felix asked, patting her arm. Jenna snarled and flopped over on the sofa, burying her red head under the pillows.  
  
Picard gave him a stiff greeting as he entered the kitchen. Felix attempted to ask why he was ignoring him almost entirely, when the little incident that happened yesterday occurred to him. (His sleep-fogged mind sort of forgot that detail.)  
  
"Umm, Picard?" He said delicately. "I..."  
  
His sentence was cut off with a vicious snore from Jenna. He glared at Jenna momentarily before turning back to Picard.  
  
"....I'm sorry. It... it didn't mean anything, did it?"  
  
Picard looked as though he was on the verge of saying something, but the Lemurian let it go, shaking his head almost sadly. Felix winced.  
  
Picard's eyes focused and unfocused rapidly. It was the water... Washing dishes at five in the morning, imagine... Of course it meant nothing, it'd pass... But then, why was he so tense still? As though Jenna would leap up at any given moment and try and stab him? At least his mind wasn't on Felix anymore... That was an improvement.  
  
"Picard?"  
  
He twitched. That idiot...!  
  
"I'm sorry, Felix." He said quickly, not wanting to hurt his feelings, as they were probably already extensively bruised and battered. How he knew that, he didn't know...  
  
"There's nothing to be sorry for." The Venus adept said quietly, his voice barely heard over Jenna's snores.  
  
Picard smiled weakly at him. Felix looked concerned. Jenna snored.  
  
.~.  
  
Why can't he leave me alone? Always there... Always concerned about my emotions, my health, whether I want to go home or not... If you could call it home. I'm going insane...  
  
.~.  
  
"I'm going for a walk."  
  
"What? At five in the morning?"  
  
Felix blinked. Picard bit his lip.  
  
"Yes, at five in the morning. A walk, Felix. Not like anything's going to try and bite me."  
  
"You never know."  
  
"You're paranoid."  
  
Felix sighed.  
  
"Fine, go. Be back for breakfast, okay? Jenna will throw a fit if you aren't here to try her 'porridge.'" Felix rolled his eyes.  
  
"Oh, er... That is, if she wakes up, correct?" You could tell by the amount of enthusiasm in his voice that he was looking forward to trying it.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Picard nodded, heading out the door with his coat.  
  
What is he doing taking walks at five in the morning? Felix thought to himself, draping a spare blanket over Jenna's snoring form.  
  
.~.  
  
Picard walked down the stairs slowly, sighing. A wind hinting at previous rains brushed at his hair. He saw a bit of hair much like his own, standing next to a tree.  
  
"Good morning, Alex." Picard murmured, moving to stand beside him. Alex nodded to him.  
  
"How are you doing?"  
  
"....Fine."  
  
Alex stared at him, one blue eye hidden under silky locks. It was an unnerving gaze, and Picard turned to stare at the village below them.  
  
"Is anything the matter?"  
  
"Plenty." Picard sighed, loosing his hair from its tie. "Too many things for even a Lemurian to worry about, I'm afraid."  
  
Alex smiled slightly, his arms tucked lightly around himself.  
  
"Anything in particular?"  
  
"Er... Confusion, hesitancy, not knowing the workings of love... Numerous things."  
  
"Is that so." Alex removed his gaze from him (Picard sighed in relief) to look at the village. The only man up was the owner of the rooster, who was chasing the said bird around the plaza. (Nerk!) "You are in love?"  
  
"Isn't everyone?" Picard replied, immediately realizing his mistake as Alex turned his gaze back on him, his eyes hardening slightly. "Er, sorry. I am. And I don't know what to do about it."  
  
"Does it concern the laws of Vale?" Alex asked.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"The laws..." Alex brushed aside a lock of hair behind his ear, licking his slightly chapped lips slowly. "...were made up by a bunch of old men who merely thought they were clever."  
  
Picard blinked.  
  
"Really." He said dryly.  
  
"That's what I assumed." Alex said, shrugging. He tucked his scarf tighter around his neck as a chill wind blew past them.  
  
"I'll have to ask Isaac about that." Picard said, his voice doubtful. Alex chuckled softly.  
  
"You believe what you believe. Nobody will hate you for being... different."  
  
"Tch. Did you tell Garet that, too?"  
  
"Are you referring to his hair or his excessive lack of intelligence?"  
  
Picard shook his head.  
  
"Living with Kraden certainly does things to you, don't they, Alex?"  
  
"Of course..." He sighed. "But if your friends have trekked the world with you, fought dragons and mermen beside you, and saved you from near death more than several times... Do you think they will really care?"  
  
Picard pondered his words silently, watching the rooster attack the hapless farmer. (Nark!!)  
  
"I... suppose not."  
  
Alex smiled at him, his azure hair swirling around him and giving him an utmost innocent sort of look. Picard nearly snorted.  
  
"You have your answer, then." Alex gave him one last look that gave him the chills, before he walked off, apparently back to his home.  
  
Only then did it occur to Picard that he had given Alex no mention whatsoever of Felix. Sighing, silently cursing Kraden, and deciding never to go near a chicken coop, Picard headed back to his demise with Jenna's porridge.  
  
.~.  
  
Alex has always been weird, but that was just creepy. I wonder, is he really a Mercury adept, or a Jupiter adept in disguise? ....Does he know about -- ?! I hope not! If he knows, Alex could either choose to keep it a secret or tell all of Vale... This is bad....  
  
.~.  
  
Later that day, Picard lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling while trying to keep his stomach under control. He could hear Felix's dry coughs somewhere nearby, and Jenna... Err, please forget I ever mentioned Jenna. It seemed as though her porridge backfired rather badly against her especially, and she was suffering the consequences of making porridge in the first place at six in the morning. Picard sighed.  
  
"Felix, you okay?" He called. Another cough.  
  
"...Fine..." Felix responded weakly. Felix came into his range of sight. He was rather pitiful looking, his cheeks ashen, a tissue held up to his nose, and his hair flying out more than usual.  
  
"You sure about that?"  
  
"What do you think?" Felix snorted, but it turned into a hacking cough. "I shall never touch porridge again."  
  
"Even when Mia makes it?" It was well known in Vale that Mia could make a porridge that made even Garet's mother proud.  
  
"I'm not trusting anybody!" He blew into the tissue. The sofa creaked as he sat down, near Picard's legs.  
  
"You're paranoid." Picard said. Felix pinched his leg.  
  
"You've said that already."  
  
A silence settled over them, the only noises were the grandfather clock ticking slowly but surely, and Jenna's occasional retches and curses. Felix leaned back, his hand settling on Picard's knee. He appeared to have fallen asleep.  
  
.~.  
  
He's appears so innocent when he sleeps... He doesn't look at all like a warrior who has killed and spilt blood before... He looks like a child. Not at all the now-legendary man who lit the lighthouses and helped to save Weyard from the Abyss. Amazing how sleep opens up a whole different side to even the hardened criminals..  
  
.~.  
  
Picard sat up slowly, shifting to make Felix as comfortable as possible. There was a hitch in the Venus adept's breathing, and he held his own breath. When his breathing evened out again, Felix's head lay on a pillow propped up against the arm of the sofa. He knew he was taking his chances in doing something like this, but Picard twisted his arms loosely around Felix's torso.  
  
Unfortunately for Picard, he fell asleep as well.  
  
.~.  
  
Felix awoke at a particularly nasty string of curses from his sister. Where was -- wait, he was on the sofa... Against something peculiarly warm. The sofa didn't radiate warmth. Period. So what was...?  
  
He noticed the strand of blue hair on his cheek at that moment. His eyes widened.  
  
Oh, oh, bad, bad, bad! -- Was what was running through Felix's mind. He did not just --  
  
Oh, good. He was still in his clothes. He sighed in relief. Wait, why WAS he sighing in RELIEF? His practically illegal crush was holding him! Around the waist! And he couldn't get up!  
  
He heard another stream of curses. My thought exactly, he thought to himself grumpily.  
  
Picard's hold on him tightened. Felix squeaked.  
  
"...Picard?" He whispered. Picard growled and tightened his grip further. "...Dammit."  
  
Picard held back the urge to yawn as he opened one eye sleepily. Crap, he fell asleep? ...Not good.  
  
"Picard?" Felix asked again, a little louder.  
  
AGH!  
  
"Nngmph?"  
  
To those who get stuck in a position similar to this -- take the "Incoherent Speech" route to get out of it. (*Sigh*)  
  
"Picard... Why are you... *Holding* me?"  
  
"Mmgh." Picard responded into his hair. Felix flushed, glad the Lemurian could not see it.  
  
"Could... Could you let go?"  
  
Felix's hand felt so nice on his own...  
  
"Do you really want me to?" Picard asked slyly. He could hear a squeak from Felix.  
  
Dare he respond?  
  
"Not... really." Felix admitted, moving his head slightly, tickling Picard's chin.  
  
"Mm..."  
  
Felix snuggled into Picard's form, loving the way the Lemurian's soft hair felt on his neck. . . .  
  
"FELIX!" Jenna roared from the top of the stairs. Felix bolted upright, and Picard yelped.  
  
"It's that time of the month, isn't it?" Picard asked, taking Jenna's intrusion as an excuse to run his hand up and down Felix's spine. Felix wriggled out of his grasp and stood, looking very much like he had gone through an oven.  
  
"What, Jenna?" He said nervously. Jenna looked murderous.  
  
"Get me some water and a bucket!" She yelled, before stomping back to her room. Felix gaped a moment, blinking all the while.  
  
"Better do what the woman says, Felix. You might not live to see tomorrow if you don't." Picard chided him, running a hand lazily down his jawline. Felix squeaked and ran off to the kitchen. Picard sighed, stretching.  
  
...That was a nice nap.  
  
.~.  
  
After taking care of Jenna (Who was still sick in the stomach, but Picard thought in the head as well), Picard cornered Felix in his room.  
  
"Felix..."  
  
Felix was reminded eerily of velvet as Picard drew near, a low, steady flame in the Mercury adept's golden eyes.  
  
"Uhm?" Felix said weakly, as Picard lunged forward, snaring him around the waist. "Picard?"  
  
"I won't lie to you. I enjoyed that accidental kiss, chaste as it was." Picard said, one hand fingering the string that held Felix's hair back. Felix leaned forward, pressing his cheek to Picard's chest. The string fell to the floor. "You're beautiful."  
  
"In a feminine way?" Felix asked, enjoying the way Picard's fingers ran through his dark hair. Picard chuckled.  
  
"You could pass for a woman."  
  
"Hey..." Felix said indignantly, but there was no anger whatsoever in his voice.  
  
"But I think I like you the way you are." Picard tiled Felix's face back up, their eyes meeting, neither dropping their gaze. With one hand still entangled in Felix's hair, Picard leaned down to kiss him.  
  
Their lips meeting were like bolts of electricity -- Felix wanted to step back and take a gulp of air, but Picard held him still. And a part of him wanted to stay in that embrace for as long as possible.  
  
"Ah... Picard..." Felix gasped once Picard let go of him. Picard pressed butterfly-light kisses on his cheek and jaw.  
  
"Did you enjoy that?" Picard asked, after kissing his nose. Felix didn't spare him an answer; rather, he yanked Picard down by his collar for another kiss.  
  
But of course, the gods were fooling around with them, right?  
  
"Fe - *Cough* - LIX!"  
  
Felix took a step back in surprise. This little action caused him to trip, bringing both him and Picard down to the ground with a loud whump.  
  
"Damn that woman." Picard hissed, rubbing his forehead. Felix groaned.  
  
"Don't get mad at my sister." Felix said. He paused a moment. "Get mad at whatever the hell's possessing her."  
  
Picard grumbled.  
  
"Feliiiix! Sometime before Christmas!"  
  
"Hold on, hold on, I'm coming!" Felix pulled himself out from under Picard, who looked none-too-pleased with Felix leaving.  
  
"If you take longer than ten minutes, I will kill your sister." Picard said. Felix kissed him on the cheek and dashed off.  
  
.~.  
  
Whoo, that was fun.  
  
.~.  
  
End IIII  
  
.~.  
  
Eheheh! And Felix is currently gagged, so no commentary from him. Onwards with the reviews...  
  
**Selena**: Thanks for your views. ^__^ I guess that is true. . . . And my views have changed. Like I've told Akiko-san, my world views change daily, if not minute-to-minute. And I guess it's my fault that I forgot to mention that the characters (the main characters, at least) are slightly OOC. I like stories with characters... well, OOC. It takes a new spin to the story, and I mean, the same plotline over and over, i.e.: The hero goes to save the damsel in distress, gets boring, so why don't you have: The hero is kidnapped, the damsel, secretly a warrior in disguise, goes to save him, while a war is raging and an assassin is after her blood? Er, something like that. ^^; You get it, right? I hope so. I'm terribly sorry for my ignorance. . .  
  
**Shadow**: Hn... Really? I'm sure Luana would think differently. . . .  
  
**Taidigimon**: Thanks. I guess so... The things left unanswered, huh?  
  
**Shiro Amayagi**: Go ahead...  
  
**Reyan**: Alex is creepy, but nearly everyone is OOC in this fic... Yeah, Mia dies. Ha.... But I need to revise it, some parts are cheesy... May be up in the future. ^^; If Felix... Nah, no need to bother with Felix.  
  
[Felix] Mmf. -__-;  
  
**Dragoness**: Heh. Yeah, you hear that, Felix? ^_^  
  
[Felix] Mmf.  
  
**Riyn**: Alex, huh? Guess you got your wish, then. ^^ I'm afraid that's all he'll get... Maybe I'll do something with him in another story, ne?  
  
[Felix] Mmf!  
  
**Ookami**: Of course I'll continue! ^___^  
  
**Killing Perfection**: Why do people LOVE doing the Isaac/Felix impression? Eh...  
  
**Taylor**: You're weird. I'm weird. We're all weirdos living in a weird world, so it only makes sense, yah? And I'll remember that, I suppose you have a point... Even though your wording confused. me. 0o;;  
  
Anyhoo, many thanks to Selena, who changed my views. And lotsa thanks to the rest of you guys for reviewing! I never thought this story'd get off the ground... Twenty-something reviews for three dinky chapters! Kewlz! ^___^ ChibiD, tell me where those pics are! I've searched for everything for pics, but nothing... Eck! TELL ME! Oh, and... I WILL have a further use for Alex! ^_^ Next chapter!  
  
[Felix] Mmf.... -_-;;  
  
-to love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.- --david viscott 


	5. Marring My World

- Stirring Earth -  
  
Ahem! Thanks for all of your support, guys. Reaaally appreciate it, yep, I do. ^_^ So, for this chapter... the warnings, that is: Kissing, touching, I believe some hinting at *inappropiate* stuff... Alex weirdness... Alex doing bad things... Slight AlexxFelix.  
  
[Felix] Alex is such a jerk.  
  
To you, he is. To the rest of us, he's a sekushii bishounen with hair to die for and a damn cool personality.... Er, sorta. ^_^ You're just mad he --  
  
[Stephanie] Don't ruin it!  
  
Er, right, right. Read on... er... readers! Oh, and Riyn, I think you missed the very last part of my notes at the end... This is the actual last part of Alex-ness... Wait for my next fic, called "To Steal a Heart." Lots of Alex there... Weird Alex... And this chapter... ::Sigh:: Once again, to Riyn's requests... -__-;; And I have managed to find a way to stretch this story one chapter longer... What I was planning for htis chapter will be held off until the next. Of course, now I have to find some new chapter titles... Ehhh......  
  
.~.  
  
Chapter five : Marring My World  
  
- Expressions, questions, and broken rules -  
  
.~.  
  
At long last, it turned out Jenna had the stomach flu. (Amazing coincidence, huh?) She refused to admit her porridge did it to her. Thus, making her a teasing magnet to her brother and Picard.  
  
"I told you guys to leave me alone! At the minimum, to shut up!"  
  
"What are brothers for, hm?" Felix pinched her cheek, and Jenna made a move to bite the fingers. "Oh, bloodlust. Jenna!"  
  
"What about him?" Jenna pointed at Picard, who was smiling very eerily like a certain priest from Slayers. (Kyeheheheh!) Jenna then thought that it was also very eerie that she knew that kind of information.  
  
"What are friends for?" Picard smiled. Jenna hissed, sitting up and clenching her fists. Felix forced her back down.  
  
"You need to rest, Jenna. No need to get riled up over the truth."  
  
"Stop acting like our mother, Felix. And while you're at it, leave me alone!"  
  
"Jenna, I know you'll try to use an Aura on yourself. We can't leave you alone, it'll only backfire further." Felix said, patting her nose. Jenna lunged up to bite him, and actually managed to. Felix yelped. "Jen -- ow!" He cast a hasty Cure on himself, still shaking the bitten hand.  
  
"She'd make a good vampire." Picard said dryly. Jenna threw a pillow at him before falling into a coughing fit.  
  
"You *cough* guys are so *cough* sadistic, you *cough* know *coughcough* that?" Jenna choked, trying to look menacing while in a vulnerable state. Felix smiled brightly.  
  
"'Course we do." Felix tweaked her nose (Making sure not to get bitten) before leaving, dragging Picard with him.  
  
"You trust her enough to leave her alone?"  
  
"If she kills herself, ah well." Felix shrugged. Picard blinked.  
  
"I thought you cared more about her than that."  
  
"I'm a sadistic brother. And times change." Felix said brightly, walking into his room and shutting the door. Picard wandered over to his bed, burying his face into the pillow, loving the Felix-smell. "You have odd fetishes, y'know?"  
  
"Of course I do." Picard said, his voice muffled by the pillow. Felix sighed and moved over to him. "I have a fetish with a certain Venus adept by the name of Felix. I have a fetish with his aged-cinnamon sort of smell. And I have a fetish with kissing him."  
  
Felix chuckled and leaned down into the outstretched arms. Picard wasted no time in tilting his head to kiss the younger man. Felix responded eagerly, loving the warmth incasing his mouth, the hand moving up and down his back an additional pleasure.  
  
Picard broke the kiss first and nibbled on Felix's lower lip playfully, winning a surprised gasp from him. Picard flicked his tongue out to sooth the nibbles, gaining a further moan from Felix.  
  
"Now that I think of it, I've never told you I love you, have I?" Felix said, blinking. Picard adored his thoughtful phases.  
  
"No. Nor have I told you *I* love you, either." Picard murmured, pressing their foreheads together. Felix  
  
"You do?" Felix asked, his eyes widening slightly.  
  
"Do you take me as the type of person to just sleep around with the closest body, Felix?" Picard said, his voice edged slightly with steel. Felix was speechless a moment, then he shook his head.  
  
"Sorry." He whispered, kissing the Lemurian gently as his way of apology. Picard cradled his dark head to his shoulder, placing his chin on top of the mass of hair. "I do love you."  
  
"Love you too, Felix." Picard said, feeling Felix's lax grip on him tighten suddenly. Felix groaned softly. "What is it?"  
  
"I have that mushy feeling inside of me. That feeling Jenna says she gets everytime Garet tells her he loves her?" Felix grumbled. Picard chuckled, kissing his forehead.  
  
"It's a nice feeling, isn't it?" Picard said, trying to soothe the ruffles of Felix's hair.  
  
"I swore to Jenna that I would never feel that feeling!" Felix cried.  
  
"Too bad, huh? Did you put a bet on it?"  
  
"....Yes."  
  
"Felix!"  
  
"Five hundred coins and a bouquet of roses." Felix sighed.  
  
"A bouquet of roses?"  
  
"If I managed to hold out for the entire month, she would double the money. But I guess it doesn't matter, if I tell her (Which I won't), she'll ask who I'm in love with..."  
  
"...And you can't do that."  
  
"No, I can't. Unless you want to be kicked out of Vale with me."  
  
"I'll go to the ends of the world for you, love." Picard said softly. Felix curled up tighter against him. To the ends of the world, up to the heavens, down to the depths of death... anywhere for him.  
  
(SAP!)  
  
While Picard was tending to Jenna, Felix went out for a walk later that day. With his hands in his coat pockets, he wandered through Vale, thinking about his family, Picard, Lemuria, the Abyss, Picard, and so on and so forth. Somehow, he found himself at the place where he had nearly drowned, so many years ago... How many was it? Nine years? Miraculous... This river had survived the earthquake, and for many days after it, it remained ridiculously hot. Once the rebuilding of Vale had started, it had cooled.  
  
Sighing, he stared at the water, seeing his reflection -- messy brown hair, chocolate colored eyes, a normal nose, full lips... He saw another reflection.  
  
"Hello, Alex..."  
  
"Hello, Felix. Are you... happy... now?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good..." Alex said softly. His eyes were sad as he stared at the gentle ripples of the river. "...I'm sorry, Felix."  
  
"Hm? What for?" Felix glanced at him, and nearly jumped, seeing a single, crystalline tear slide down the Mercury adept's cheek. "Alex, why are you crying?"  
  
"My silent affections were for you, Felix. I never told you... I'm sorry. You should have at least known... All these years..."  
  
Felix didn't know how to respond as a few more tears slid down Alex's cheeks.  
  
"Alex. . . ."  
  
"Please, Felix. Before... before you go... please, let me give you something."  
  
Felix was hesitant in answering, biting his lip.  
  
"A-alright."  
  
Alex turned to face him, eyes still brimming with unshed tears. He wiped hastily at them. He took one small step forward, and kissed him. A gentle, tender kiss that wrenched at Felix's heart. Felix shut his eyes, to keep Alex from seeing the pain swimming in them. When he opened them, after the pressure on his lips were gone, Alex had disappeared as well.  
  
.~.  
  
Oh, Venus. That was.. I can't describe it... Strange. I never knew -- Alex always kept that mask of coolness on. And he even helped me... How could I know? He loved me... ME, of all people. I'm such an idiot... If Jenna was here, she would probably slap me. Call me an inconsiderate jerk... I can't possibly tell Picard what happened here. It'll be... our secret. Something between us, Alex. I promise I won't tell. One of those last things I can hope to give you that you'll accept.  
  
.~.  
  
Picard found Felix skipping stones at the area of the river where he nearly drowned nine years ago. But he had no idea as of what other traumatizing events had happened here. . . . Of what Felix had seen in the water's reflection, in the eyes of another who had loved him once before.  
  
.~.  
  
I promise you, Alex. I won't tell. On *our* behalf.  
  
.~.  
  
The next day, Kraden awoke to find Alex gone. All of his sparse possessions were no longer in their normal areas. All he left behind was an evelope that was marked, "To be given to Picard."  
  
When Isaac and Mia heard of this, they immediately thought something had gone wrong between the two Mercury adepts. The two never had really gotten along -- staying merely as acquaintances, and nothing more. This letter left behind startled them. Did something go wrong that they had no knowledge about? (Of course, there was plenty going on they had no whimsical idea about.)  
  
Felix was worried. Most of the day, Picard was locked away in his room -- and of course, Felix was rather imaginative. Was he sick? Was he heartbroken? Was he mad?  
  
Jenna could swear Felix was molting when he came to visit her.  
  
"Felix, bro, you okay? You're paler than normal."  
  
"I'm worried about what Alex said to Picard!" Felix cried, shaking his head furiously back and forth. Jenna glanced at a clump of brown hair on the floor.  
  
"Fe, are you shedding?" She asked worriedly.  
  
"I don't know!" He responded, dashing out of the room. Jenna sighed and sat back. Maybe... Maybe Felix was right, she did need more rest...  
  
.~.  
  
Oh, Alex, what did you tell him? Is it important? Should I care? Did you TELL? Alex! Please! No! You couldn't have, I swore not to -- you have to keep your own end of the deal, unspoken as it was! Ohh, I am losing hair...  
  
.~.  
  
"Picard? Can I come in?" Felix knocked at the Lemurian's door, his voice hesitant.  
  
"You can."  
  
Felix grimaced, and taking one last look down the completely deserted hallway, he stepped in.  
  
"What is that letter...?"  
  
"He gave me some advice, Felix. Nothing more." Picard was staring at the frolicking flames in the hearth, and as Felix glanced at it as well, he noticed the letter curling in on itself beside the logs.  
  
"Can you tell me?"  
  
"Mm, well..." Picard sighed as Felix sat down next to him, placing his head on his shoulder. "He told me to keep quiet about it."  
  
Felix raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh. I understand." Felix said quietly, closing his eyes. Picard chuckled, much to his surprise.  
  
"Alex said you would." Picard murmured, running his hand through Felix's hair.  
  
The Venus adept had to smile slightly at that, knowing Alex would keep an eye on the two of them, whether he was in Prox or Garoh, or anywhere.  
  
...That was kind of eerie, now that he thought of it.  
  
.~.  
  
Alex, take care of yourself, alright?  
  
.~.  
  
Felix sat up quickly. He blinked away the blurriness at the corners of his eyes... Hey, wait a minute. This was...  
  
He glanced down.  
  
What was running through his mind at that very moment : Oh, *shit.*  
  
"FELIX!"  
  
"Dammit!" He lunged forward and ended up falling on his face. (Ow.) Scrambling onto his feet, he dashed around the room, gathering clothes (Yes! Clothes! Muwahahahahaha!) as he went. Stopping in a corner of the room, he jumped into them, and dashed off to his sister's aid.  
  
Picard woke shortly afterwards, noticing the lingering warmth next to him on the bed. He sighed. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea as he had thought...  
  
The door opened, and Felix walked back in.  
  
There was a pregnant pause.  
  
"Did we...?" Felix asked cautiously.  
  
"I think so." Picard smiled nervously. Felix walked forward and dropped himself into his lover's arms.  
  
"Jenna wanted to know what that noise was." Felix said humorously, kissing his cheek. "I didn't answer her."  
  
"You think she knows?"  
  
"Nah... I've always been a weird brother."  
  
Picard raised his eyebrow.  
  
"You *are* weird..." He said, pinching Felix's cheek. Felix yelped.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"...You're the twig, remember?"  
  
"Picard!"  
  
Picard twisted suddenly, causing both of them to fall onto the bed. He ran a finger along Felix's jawline, and as he reached his chin, traveled downwards, and tilted Felix's face towards him. As he held Felix's chin there, he leaned forward and kissed him gently. Once he parted from him, Felix curled up against him. They had almost been caught. Almost been caught and thrown out of Vale.  
  
"I love you," Felix whispered urgently, burrowing his head further into the junction of Picard's neck and shoulder. Picard smoothed his hair.  
  
"I love you, too." He said soothingly.  
  
...They'd get through this.  
  
.~.  
  
End V  
  
.~.  
  
-_-;; Arghh....  
  
[Felix] ........  
  
Darn it, all I'll do for some reviews. Originally, this story was going to be only seven chapters (I remember some stories being like 40+ fics... Like my former Q/A), but due to Riyn's request, it's been slightly extended to eight chapters. Has anybody noticed that trend in the chapter titles? ^__^  
  
[Felix] *Grumbles* You love Alex, don't you?  
  
Nah... But he's an interestin' character. Alex with you, Alex with Jenna... Har, it's all fun. And, since FF.Net's broken down as I'm writing this, I'll have to do reviews from memory...  
  
**Riyn**: You got your wish, huh? ^__^ Alex is kawaii...  
  
**Shadow**: Yes, do get used to it.  
  
**Shiro**: Oopsie. Guess I forgot about you.  
  
[Felix] *Grumble* On purpose.  
  
Shaddup. -_-;  
  
**Saturos**: ...0_o;; Um.... That's nice... ::Edges away::  
  
....Dang, I have bad memory or something. Sorry, I'll do the rest next chapter... ^^;;  
  
-love is so simply complicated sometimes- 


	6. The Great Seas

- Stirring Earth -  
  
.~.  
  
Gomen ne, for the wait. ^^; I was at Shuyokai! ....Wah. I didn't get to say goodbye to Nozomu-baka. ;-; Oh well. I'll see Sashimi SOMETIME... And FF.Net is down! AGAIN! -___-;;;;  
  
[Felix] ....*Sighs*  
  
Nani, baka? I had to spend a total of... Four.. er, close to five hours in a car with STEPHANIE. That's torture! And four days -- FOUR DAYS -- without a computer! That was nearly hell!  
  
[Felix] ....  
  
Ha! And I had to deal with "Ed," "Vincent," and Sofia. ^^ As well as hobo- sensei... Stephanie...  
  
[Felix] Ed and Vincent are girls, aren't they?  
  
Yep. Ed and Vin are anime fanatics, too! ^__^  
  
[Felix] *Shudders*  
  
They've NEVER PLAYED GS, though! Grr!  
  
[Felix] 0_o  
  
....I miss Spiffy. ;.;  
  
[Felix] Spiffy was a camera!  
  
Exactly!  
  
[Felix] ........I think it's the air.  
  
I think so too. ^^ Warnings: Um. Garet's potty mouth, hysterical sisters, a bit of boring stuff... Picard and Felix have a few odd conversations. . . . ^^  
  
[Felix] GAAH!  
  
Deal with it, 'kay? ....::Hugs computer:: I missed you so badly! ;-; I couldn't go NEAR my Sephiroth/Cloud fanfiction! Oh, this chapter is (sort of) LONG, too! I couldn't help but go through with all of Felix and Picard's humorous convos!  
  
[Felix] *Edges away*  
  
::Glares at him:: But... ::Cries:: Sephy... and... Cloud... make... such... a good... couple! And... so... do... Vincent... and... Cid... ::Sniffles:: Sasuke... and... Naruto... Felix... and... Picard...!! Riku and Sora! WAAAH! ::Starts randomly listing other couples::  
  
[Felix] *Whimpers*  
  
And Picard angst! I decided I'd change the ending (Which is the next chapter... There's an epilogue, too! ^^;;), to make it a bit angstier... Poor Picard. I luv him, and I have to make him sad.. ::Turns to Felix angrily:: BECAUSE OF THIS IDIOT VENUS ADEPT'S STUPID DECISIONS!  
  
[Felix] Meep...  
  
.~.  
  
Chapter six: The Great Seas  
  
- Swears of various forms, hysteria, and more angst -  
  
.~.  
  
[Felix] Why me?  
  
Shut up.  
  
.~.  
  
"Felix?"  
  
"Nngmmph...."  
  
"Felix..."  
  
"Mmph!"  
  
"Felix, you better wake up now, or I'll scorch your hair again."  
  
"Nonononono!"  
  
Jenna smiled a very twisted smile. Felix blinked wildly.  
  
"Morning, dear brother of mine."  
  
"Um... Good morning?"  
  
"Yes, yes, GOOD morning... Just tell me..."  
  
Outside the room, Picard waited, holding his breath.  
  
"...What is with all these groans of agony? And... Picard's name? In the middle of the night?"  
  
"Well, about that..."  
  
...Five minutes later...  
  
"I'm waiting, Felix."  
  
Picard then had to breathe, or face suffocation.  
  
"Picard was running after me with... with... an axe!"  
  
He could practically see Jenna's eyebrow raise in speculation.  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
...That was Jenna, actually...  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And he cut your hair, am I correct?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I see..."  
  
The door slammed open, and Picard skittered away from Jenna's imperious form. Jenna's imperious form that was approximately a head shorter than him. Jenna shot him a look, but he was sure she didn't know he had been next to the door.  
  
As soon as Jenna stormed off to her own room, Picard went back down the hallway to his beloved Felix. Felix was merely a lump under the blankets and pillows. A shivering lump, that is.The only thing visible of him was a lock of his brown hair that splayed out on a pillow before what Picard assumed was his head.  
  
"Felix?"  
  
"Jenna... ish... shcary..." Came the muffled response.  
  
"Yes, she is. But our love shall conquer all distances and obstac -- !"  
  
The birds sleeping on the tree outside Felix's window flew off after a vicious WHAP! woke them from their slumber.  
  
"I thought I burned those books." Felix muttered sourly as he sat up, tugging at his precious mop of messy hair. Picard spat out some feathers from his mouth.  
  
"That was nice, considering, if I wasn't here, you'd be just a mess of depression and pointless angst. And Lemurian books won't burn, untrue to popular belief."  
  
Felix glared at him, blinking slowly. Picard shivered, patting at his hair to see if any feathers remained. Finding none, he grinned devilishly and leaped at the Venus adept, nuzzling his neck. Felix sighed.  
  
"Do you want to?" Picard whispered huskily into his ear. Felix laid his cheek on his forehead, closing his eyes.  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yes, now."  
  
"Jenna's onto our case. No."  
  
"You can be so boring sometimes..."  
  
"Do you always have to be the risk-taker in the relationship?"  
  
"OUR relationship, dearest Felix."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Yes. That's what makes life fun."  
  
"Says who?"  
  
"Says me."  
  
"...The self-proclaimed god of entertaining nighttime activities. Ahem."  
  
"I never said I was that!"  
  
"You certainly act like it."  
  
"We haven't done it THAT often!"  
  
"Picard, just shut up. I'm afraid you'll go into one of your 'Make Felix queasy' sessions."  
  
"It's fun!"  
  
"You like that phrase, don't you?" Felix shoved him off the bed ruthlessly and stood, frowning down at the smiling Lemurian. After a moment's silence, Felix sighed once more, bent down, and kissed him on the cheek. "I have to have fallen in love with one of Lemuria's greatest idiots of time..."  
  
"I know you don't regret it." Picard said, sticking out his tongue at Felix. Felix saw this, however, and much to Picard's surprise, crouched down altogether and kissed him again -- on the lips -- with raw passion.  
  
However, the beloved sister of Felix's heard them.  
  
"Mmfh!"  
  
"Grr..."  
  
"Felix?!"  
  
The door bursted open, and Jenna gaped at the scene before her.  
  
"STOP IT, YOU TWO! Picard, get off of him!"  
  
"I didn't do anything!"  
  
"Then tell me, WHY WERE YOU BITING MY BROTHER?! On the SHOULDER?!!"  
  
"It was in self-defense! He was choking me!"  
  
Jenna mulled over this briefly before looking between her overly pale brother and the Lemurian, who was rubbing (very suspiciously) at his neck.  
  
"....I thought you got over the choking habit, Felix." Jenna said slowly.  
  
"When I have Garet for a brother-in-law, it's hard to break habits like that." He snapped, but he was looking very pointedly at the ground. "It's his fault."  
  
"You always say that!" Picard shot back, continuing to rub his neck. Jenna glared at first Felix, then him. Picard shifted backwards, bumping into Felix's bed.  
  
Jenna appeared as though she were going to drop into one of her 'You do NOT choke your housemate for daily amusement, and you do NOT anger my brother for pointless reasons!' rants, but she shook her head.  
  
"Today... I'll let you two idiots off. Another day, though..." She waved her index finger warningly, walking back out and closing the door behind her. As soon as her footsteps died away, Picard sighed in relief, and Felix collapsed, panting.  
  
"That was a close one." Picard muttered, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the bite on his neck.  
  
"I'll say." Felix said tiredly. His pale back was completely explosed to his lover, but for once, Picard decided to let it go. "I always tell you -- "  
  
" -- 'No nighttime activies during the day while Jenna is around, no biting, no noisemaking, and certainly no public displays of affection.'" Picard recited lazily, propping his chin up with his hand. "I know, I know. Jenna's been around for a week. We normally -- "  
  
"Okay, don't go there." Felix said quickly, waving his hands, his face hot and red.  
  
"Why are you still so shy?" The earth adept couldn't see Picard's face, but he just knew that it was amused. "You certainly don't hold back during OTHER times..."  
  
"Picard, just shut up before I make you." The brunet growled crossly, sitting up and twisting around to face him. Picard grinned at the sight of the red mark on his collarbone.  
  
"Oh, that sounds fun."  
  
Picard never saw the pot that was thrown at him.  
  
.~.  
  
Ow. That hurt... Maybe Felix is trying to tell me something? ....Ooh. Maybe he wants to be . . . . . no, he's not top-material though. Certainly violent enough, but he doesn't... doesn't fit the description. Hm... When will that barbaric sister of his ever leave? Doesn't she have more amusing things to do with Garet?  
  
Felix would kill me if he knew I said that, wouldn't he?  
  
.~.  
  
Picard, with a bag of ice resting on his head, watched Felix very closely. The Venus adept's movements were short and jerky, and, well... Something was definitely up. With a sigh, Picard reached up and took the icepack, then dropped it onto the table.  
  
"Felix, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Picard rolled his eyes, massaging the bump on his head carefully.  
  
"I've known you for more than... say...five years, Felix. And, I'm your lover. I'm supposed to notice things like this."  
  
Felix stopped his plate washing a moment to toss his hair over his shoulder.  
  
"Picard... I'm fine..."  
  
"You certainly don't seem fine."  
  
Picard stood and went over to him, leaning on the counter.  
  
"I've come to a decision. If anybody finds out about our relationship... without meaning to... I... I'll leave."  
  
Picard thought this over in his mind. What about him, then? Where would he go? After Felix? Back to Lemuria?  
  
"You... might get off... But I still kind of doubt it." Felix said softly, his voice barely heard over the scrubbing. "You will have to leave as soon as possible..."  
  
"Felix, I don't want to leave your side."  
  
Felix bowed his head, his shoulders slumping slightly. Picard reached out to touch him, but he jerked away.  
  
"I can't help it! I don't want you to be hurt! What's the use of banishing two people when you could manage one? You're not the citizen of Vale!"  
  
Felix kept his eyes away from the Lemurian, afraid he would break down if he saw those haunting, molten gold eyes.  
  
"I swear... I will leave..." He said breathlessly.  
  
But he fell into the embrace when Picard reached out to hold him to his chest. His harsh breathing calmed, and the hand running up and down his spine was soothing.  
  
"Nothing like that will happen, Felix. We'll tell them someday..." Picard reassured him, cradling his head to his shoulder. Felix clutched at his vest. "Nothing will go wrong."  
  
"I hope so." Felix whispered as Picard's hand clutched at his hair.  
  
...How ironic it was, then, that somebody saw it all.  
  
(GASP! XD)  
  
Outside, under the shade of a tree, a man crouched, as though trying to catch his breath. His blonde hair shadowed normally calm eyes -- now lost in a storm. That... just wasn't possible. He clutched his forehead, the other hand on his chest, on his rapidly beating heart. That scene... It was just his imagination. He had gotten hit on the head too many times by one of Jenna's fists. Yes, that was it...  
  
"Ivan?"  
  
(Guwahahaha!)  
  
"Oh... Jenna!" He stood hastily, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. Jenna frowned at him.  
  
"I thought I told you to run to my house to get some sugar!"  
  
"I, um..."  
  
"You were taking so long, I decided to come and check on you! Do they have any?"  
  
"Um, no." He said quickly, stepping in front of Jenna as she took a step towards her house.  
  
"I could've sworn Felix had some stashed away somewhere... There has to be a reason why Picard's so happy all the time..."  
  
Of course he's happy. He has Felix. Ivan thought to himself sourly.  
  
"I'm sure Mia has some, Jenna..." Ivan said, pushing her slightly back onto the main path. Jenna gave him a look that read 'Jupiter adepts ARE weird,' but nodded and continued on her way. Ivan sighed, following after her, looking back at the house. Felix and Picard -- whoever knew?  
  
.~.  
  
Picard awoke one morning feeling something... odd.. in the air. As far as he knew, Jenna hadn't tried using the oven (Did they have something similar to ovens then? ...0_o;... Gomen, ne, if they didn't...) as of late, Garet didn't try getting rid of the weeds with a blast of fire anymore, and certainly nobody except Kraden smoked anything.  
  
Well...  
  
...Maybe. Nonetheless, though, he just *knew* something was wrong. Felix was back to normal...  
  
"I think they know."  
  
Picard blinked quickly, glancing over to the doorway where Felix was leaning almost casually. The only thing off was that Felix's dark hair was loose, and he appeared to be glowing ever-so-slightly. The first thing to come to his mind was to say that they didn't, but the deathly serious look silenced him.  
  
"Do they?"  
  
"It's hard to tell. But Jenna has been avoiding me, and Isaac and Garet aren't as open..."  
  
.~.  
  
Who could've found out? Nobody knows... I hope... Nobody knows. Of course. Felix just hasn't gotten enough sleep... Figures, I haven't been tiring him out that often. But --  
  
.~.  
  
"Will you still leave?"  
  
Felix looked away.  
  
"I think so..."  
  
Picard nodded slowly.  
  
"Even if we do have to go separate ways, we'll... we *will* meet up again, right?" Felix asked, as though he had been meaning to all along. Picard smiled sadly, tossing aside the covers and standing. He strode over to Felix and hugged him tightly.  
  
"Of course we will... Nothing can ever hope to separate us..."  
  
They stood that way for a few more minutes, until a pounding from below made Picard open his eyes. Footsteps. On the stairs. Letting go of Felix hastily, he slammed the door, bolted it, then leaned against it as a loud slam was heard outside in the corridor.  
  
"Felix?" Jenna called. "I know you're in there!"  
  
"Open up, Picard!" Garet yelled. "We need to settle a few things! A few *important* things!"  
  
Felix had the idea that most of his life was over when the doorknob clattered to the floor.  
  
"Felix... Go..." Picard said, gritting his teeth as he tried to keep the door from sliding open.  
  
"Where?!"  
  
"The window..."  
  
"That's a long drop, Picard..." Felix said, glancing quickly around the room. "Anywhere else?"  
  
A thud told him it was too late. Picard sat up weakly, rubbing his shoulder with a pained expression on his face. Felix knelt next to him as his sister and her husband walked in.  
  
"What's been going on, Felix? Picard?"  
  
"Sheba told me... that Ivan had seen some things..."  
  
Ivan, Felix thought darkly to himself, was dead the next time he saw the blonde squirt.  
  
"Felix, tell me... Do you and Picard... have a *relationship* of sorts?" Jenna dropped to her knees before them, a sincerely concerned look on her face.  
  
"An *illegal* relationship?" Garet added.  
  
"Garet, shut up." Jenna said, her face still worried. "Felix..."  
  
Her brother's dark eyes were shadowed by his bangs, keeping them hidden from her own. Jenna took his hands in her own, clutching them to her chest.  
  
"Felix?" Jenna whispered.  
  
"Answer her, dammit!" Garet growled. Jenna glared at him for a moment.  
  
"I swore I'd leave."  
  
Jenna blinked.  
  
"What? ...Leave? What do you mean by that?"  
  
"He said he'd leave if any of you found out." Picard said slowly, sitting up.  
  
"I have to leave. I... I can't disgrace Vale by being thrown out." Felix murmured, staring into his sister's auburn eyes. "The healers will find out... And they'll..."  
  
"We won't let them. We're the reason why they have the right to throw you out!" Jenna said persuasively, clenching his hands tighter.  
  
"I thought you'd say something like that." Felix said bitterly. "I still have to leave..."  
  
"At least leave tomorrow, or the day after, Felix... So... So we can help..."  
  
Felix nodded slowly. Jenna rose, pulling him with her. Kissing him on the cheek, she mussed his hair fondly, then left. Garet gave him one last glance before leaving that showed the very emotions Felix was afraid of getting: anger, disgust, hatred...  
  
.~.  
  
I'm sorry, Felix. I couldn't... I couldn't prevent anything... Like I was supposed to. Your eyes haunted me when I slept. So sad, so desolate, so *emotionless*... Completely unlike you. And now... I miss those eyes, even if they were so unlike you... Because you're gone. You left during the night -- not even a note left behind. The only things you left behind - - your scarf, your special, aged cinnamon scent, and a lingering kiss...  
  
...Why?  
  
.~.  
  
(Angsty Picard introspective... Gomen, ne!)  
  
"Come on! Rise and shine, Felix! Unless you've decided against going, which is good, but... you've... left... already..."  
  
Picard didn't bother to turn at Jenna's voice, his heart wrenching further as her voice dwindled away. He was struggling not to sob, not to break off from the world and fall into a depressed state. But he had every right to cry -- his love had left him during the night, leaving barely anything to remember him by...  
  
"He left, Picard?" Jenna asked blankly; her voice traced with disbelief. "Without... without us giving him a proper... goodbye?"  
  
"He left." Picard said. When he had woken up to find Felix gone, he himself hadn't said those very words until now. Until the complete realization, with his very sister beside him, sank in. "He left..."  
  
"What are we going to do?" Jenna sank down to the floor, face in her hands. "He... He said... But..."  
  
"Felix never does what he is told." Picard said fondly, softly. "I'll find him, though."  
  
"You... You're going to go find him?" Jenna looked up quickly, and he could see tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. "How?"  
  
"I know him. I'll find that bastard and bring him back if it costs me my life." He said.  
  
Jenna took a deep breath, reaching out with one hand to him. Picard took it and pulled her up, and in those brief seconds, Jenna could feel the warmth, possibly the very essence of the meaning of love in his hand. Her fears quelled somewhat knowing that this was the man that would track her brother down to the ends of the crumbling earth.  
  
"When will you leave?" How it hurt so badly for her to say the word 'leave'....  
  
"Today. I can't risk taking more time... He could be in Contigo now for all we know, he might've taken the Teleportation Lapis..." Picard turned and left the room, heading towards his own. Jenna followed him, hands clenched in front of her.  
  
"I hope you find him." Jenna whispered.  
  
"I hope so too."  
  
.~.  
  
End VI  
  
.~.  
  
::Hides under umbrella:: I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It'll have a happy ending, though! ...Wah! Not the pumpkins!  
  
[Felix] Hmph. Serves you right. *Tomato hits him in the side of the face* Ow!  
  
They're mad at you, too, for leaving our dearly beloved Picard-kun!  
  
[Felix] *Swears* Well, it's your fault for writing it that way!  
  
*Squash bounces off the umbrella, and, well, squashes* Eww...! Next chapter... Might be up shortly...  
  
[Felix] -__-;;  
  
A big thanks to the reviewers... I'm kinda shocked I got this far! ^^;; And to the peeps who reviewed "Let Me Touch It!"!! Haa..... Yes, aren't we ALL on something? ^___^  
  
Gay Witch: Thankies. It's all thanks to Selena, really. ^^  
  
Shiro: 0_o.... Hey... That's MY job!  
  
Dragoness: Impatient, aren'tcha? ^^  
  
Kavria: ::Sigh:: Taylor, what are you doing reviewing?  
  
[Taylor] Hmph.  
  
-_-;;  
  
Riyn: Yeharharharhar! ...Yeah, that's all I have to say.  
  
Killing Perfection: I'm doing that!  
  
Taidigimon: Yes, but love can come in between ANYONE! My friends' parents are sixteen years apart. ^^  
  
[Felix] Gah.  
  
Saturos: ^^ Sorry... Actually... Since I love you guys, and because I decided to change the end, !!!! Alex WILL show up one final time, next chapter !!!!  
  
[Felix] I swear, you're devoted to your fans WAY too much.  
  
Nah. I just luv them soooo much! ^__^ Next -- and last, not counting epilogue -- chapter is coming up SOON!  
  
-time flies, suns rise and shadows fall. let time go by. love is f o r e v e r. ~ anon - 


	7. Intertwining Vines

- Stirring Earth -  
  
.~.  
  
^__^ I'm... er... well...  
  
[Felix] You appear to be happy.  
  
The raining veggies have stopped! ^^ Aaaaaanyhoo, here are the warnings... More (But very light) AlexxFelix, the normal amount of PicardxFelix...  
  
[Felix] Why am I always the uke?  
  
.....o.o  
  
[Stephanie] I didn't know he had the guts to ask something like that! 0_o  
  
D'you really wanna know what happens when I write something like a... say.. FelixxSaturos? Felix...xAgatio?  
  
[Felix] Meep. 0o...  
  
::Cough:: Um. . . . So, yeah. Angst, a bit of sap, Jenna OOC-ness, and slight Garet bashing, but's it's all in good fun! ^_^ Right? Right. So, onwards, fellow yaoi luvers!  
  
.~.  
  
Chapter six: Intertwining Vines  
  
- More pep-talking, Alex-kicking and Felix-angst -  
  
.~.  
  
--Picard introspective--  
  
I swear. Felix is an idiot sometimes. A very lovable idiot, but an idiot nonetheless. How did he take the Lapis? Ivan had it... Well, never mind, I guess I answered my own question. So where in Weyard would he go? Come on, Picard, think like a depressed Earth adept that scares easily...  
  
.~.  
  
"Where would he go?"  
  
"Jenna, you're not making my thinking any easier!"  
  
"I'm sorry, but..."  
  
"She has to speak the obvious."  
  
"Shut up! You're the reason why my brother is gone!"  
  
"Me?!"  
  
"Yes, you!"  
  
"Now, now, children, do stop fighting. We have to help uncle Picard, remember?"  
  
"Isaac, why don't YOU try shutting up?"  
  
Picard sighed and shook his head to clear it of its clutter. Note to self: Never ask Jenna, Ivan, and Isaac for their help and leave them in a room with yourself.  
  
Jenna sighed and slumped back down in her chair, eyebrows furrowed in thought and chin in hand. Ivan poked at the carpet as he stared at it. Isaac appeared to be sleeping.  
  
"Would he go to Izumo?" Ivan asked finally, breaking the thoughtful silence. Jenna blinked.  
  
"Perhaps... Gaia Rock is there, and he IS an Earth adept...."  
  
"But..." Isaac said. There was a collective sigh and a shake of heads.  
  
"Definitely not Prox... Yallam, perhaps?"  
  
"He hates Sunshine. He wouldn't go there." Jenna said, frowning. "Damn, this is hard! And I thought I knew my brother inside out!"  
  
Picard stared at the ceiling, racking his mind. Not Prox, not Izumo, not Yallam, certainly not Alhafra, or Champa...  
  
...Lemuria...  
  
"Lemuria. He must have gone to Lemuria."  
  
Pairs of auburn, amethyst, and azure eyes stared at him.  
  
"Lemuria?" Jenna repeated. "Why would he -- "  
  
"I don't know why, but now that I think of it, it seems extraordinarily obvious..." Picard muttered, standing and heading out of the room. Jenna, Ivan and Isaac stood and scrambled after him.  
  
"Lemuria just seems impossible..." Ivan said, quietly.  
  
"Then you don't know Felix." Picard couldn't hold back the sharp edge to his voice as he looked through his assortment of weapons.  
  
"Picard, it was an accident! Things can't be changed now, we can only work towards the future! Ivan wants Felix returned to Vale as badly as the rest of us!" Jenna said exasperatedly, handing him some light blankets.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm just worried... Felix can be such an idiot when he's depressed..." Picard stopped his packing. He felt something hot at the corner of his eyes, and wiped at it hastily. He couldn't appear weak now... He had to get Felix back...  
  
"Are you taking the ship?"  
  
"No other way to get to Lemuria, right?"  
  
"And you're going by yourself?" Isaac asked, surprised. "You.... Do you even remember how to work the whirlpools? They're still there, you know!"  
  
"That's why you people are coming with me, right?" Picard said, smiling slightly.  
  
Isaac stared at him in shock. Jenna squealed and hugged him.  
  
"Mia has to stay here. Who'll take care of her?"  
  
"You can stay here, Isaac... Or Sheba.... We can't risk your unborn child on account of another stupid Venus adept." Picard shook his head. He still couldn't believe how stupid that Felix was...!  
  
"Oh, I'll feel guilty... If I leave Mia to see Felix, she won't mind, but I'll still feel bad, and if I stay here..."  
  
"Isaac, just stay if you want to! We want to keep everyone safe." Jenna said, patting his arm.  
  
Isaac hesitated before nodding. He would stay.  
  
"Sheba and Garet will want to go, then. We have to leave as soon as possible..."  
  
"The ship's at Kalay. Jenna, go tell Garet, and Ivan, go tell Sheba, and get packed!"  
  
"Gotcha." Jenna left, Ivan and Isaac following soon aftewards.  
  
.~.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
"Show yourself!"  
  
"...."  
  
"Felix? What are you doing here... sir?"  
  
"I need a bit of time to myself, and I chose to come here. Is that alright?"  
  
"Y-you're always welcome here, Felix! Would you like to speak to King Hydros?"  
  
"No, no thank you. I'll... I'll stay with Lunpa."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Would you like us to escort you there?"  
  
"I'll be fine, thanks."  
  
The two guards watched the brunet disappear into the misty land of Lemuria. Then, something occured to one of them.  
  
"Hey..."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Where's everyone else? Why... is he here by himself?"  
  
"Yeah! Picard could've visited while he had the chance!"  
  
The two guards puzzled over this, not knowing Picard was actually planning a visit sometime soon...  
  
.~.  
  
Two days had passed. They were out on the ocean now, skimming the southeastern shore of Angara as they headed towards Lemuria. They had brought -- besides the normal traveling gear -- Psynergy stones, as flying would be the quickest route once they got out of the rivers.  
  
"Ready? One, two -- up!"  
  
Wind whistled past their ears as the boat lifted into the air. Jenna saw some children standing on the beach and waved to them. She saw their shocked faces as they disappeared into the low-hanging clouds.  
  
"Can you steer in these clouds, Picard?"  
  
"I'm fine!" The Lemurian called.  
  
"Are you sure? It's chilly..." Ivan sneezed.  
  
"Ivan, you're such a whiner!" Garet snorted.  
  
"And you complain too much, Garet!"  
  
So far, two days had been spent going down to Kalay. It would take about two to three days to get to Lemuria, and probably a day or two to get through the whirlpools. Which, in all actuality, they would -- could -- get Felix back and return by the end of the month.  
  
.~.  
  
"Why, Felix! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I need a bit of time to myself... to... think. Can I stay here, Lunpa?"  
  
"Of course you can. Come on in!"  
  
Felix nodded as Lunpa opened the door all the way, allowing him passage into the warmly lit room.  
  
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Lunpa asked, noticing the certain lack of other people.  
  
"Not really..."  
  
"You didn't get evicted from Vale, did you?" He said jokingly.  
  
Lunpa realized his mistake as Felix seemed to freeze.  
  
"I'm sorry... Did I... say something wrong?"  
  
"No... I... I just came close to, and I'd rather not dwell on it..."  
  
"I'm still sorry. I'll go prepare a room for you, alright?"  
  
"Thank you, Lunpa."  
  
.~.  
  
Please don't come for me...  
  
....yet....  
  
.~.  
  
Jenna swung her Tisiphone Edge at a particularly persistent possessed seagull, and with a garbled squawk, it froze, turned gray, and blew off into the wind as dust. Just as soon as she had sheathed her sword, a mist settled over their ship.  
  
"We're nearing the whirlpools! Sheba, up at the bow!"  
  
"Coming! Jenna, watch Garet!"  
  
"Will do." She replied, glancing around for said Mars adept. She was glad Garet didn't have to experience the whirlpools the first time... Or it would've been a disaster.  
  
Grimacing as she heard a dry hacking noise from the back of the ship, she wondered briefly why she had married such an oaf...  
  
"Straight ahead! To the left! Left! Find an opening! Ready? Go through! Around the volcano! ...Two more... Alright, one more!"  
  
Garet was feeling dizzy. Scratch that, he was pretty sure he had dropped his equilibrium somewhere down in the (*Coff*evil*Coff*) whirlpools. Jenna rubbed circles into his back. Just Sheba's directions was making him feel sick...  
  
"You okay, hun?" She asked worriedly.  
  
"Perfectly fine..." Garet said woozily.  
  
"I think we'll make it! Yeah, we will -- "  
  
"Sheba, the river's coming back!"  
  
With a loud, roaring splash, the ship was washed back outside, to the two red rocks protruding out of the sea. Sheba sighed.  
  
"I guess I'm a little rusty at this... Ivan, get up here with me! Four eyes are better than two!"  
  
Jenna was starting to feel worried. Was Garet trying to feed *all* the fishes in the Eastern Sea or something? (XD Narf!)  
  
.~.  
  
It was midnight, or so Felix assumed. None of the lights were lit in any of the small homes, giving Lemuria the appearance of a graveyard. Shivering despite the jacket he wore, he regretted leaving his scarf a moment -- then reminded himself that what he did was for the best. He missed Picard dearly... Their intimate nights spent in secrecy, the cuddling sessions, the pointless arguments...  
  
([Felix: You did not have to write that! That was completely uncalled for! INTIMATE? What the --] ::Hits him over the head with a chair::)  
  
He wished then for Picard to come for him, to take him in his arms, kiss the wounds away... But that was a fantasy that would hopefully never come true. With a sigh, he settled himself down on a chunk of rock, listening to the gurgle of the fountain and the winds drifting past.  
  
"Why are you here, Felix? I thought you would stay in Vale, with Picard..."  
  
Felix stood quickly and whirled, hand on his belt, groping for his sword, only to remember that he left it in his room at Lunpa's.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
"I didn't think you'd forget me just yet, Felix... I left only a little while ago."  
  
He had been gathering a ball of energy in his hand to launch an attack, but when he heard the voice again, bridging on teasing, he relaxed, the potential Ragnarok in his hand disappearing.  
  
"Alex... What are you doing here?"  
  
"The same reasons you are." The Mercury adept said, stepping out of the shadow of the pillars nearby. "To think, to dwell on memories..."  
  
A silence settled over them as Alex sat down next to Felix, leaving them to their own thoughts. Felix had too many problems to deal with -- Picard, Jenna, the laws, Vale, Alex, what to do... Why did the gods want to punish him further?  
  
"Felix, is Picard still your lover?" Alex asked softly.  
  
He didn't hesitate to answer.  
  
"Yes, he is, but it's better off for us if we weren't."  
  
The Venus adept wasn't aware of the tears trickling down his cheeks as he said those determined words. Alex grasped his chin with one hand, forcing him stare into Alex's sapphire eyes. Alex brushed his tears away gently, a small smile on his lips.  
  
"Are you sure of that?"  
  
Felix was reminded of Alex's previous words -- "Don't deprive yourself of love."  
  
"I... I don't know... How can I choose?"  
  
"I can help you decide." Alex said demurely, his hand moving back to entagle its fingers in Felix's hair. Felix squeaked. Alex kissed him.  
  
.~.  
  
Alex is... kissing me...  
  
...Uck...  
  
It seems so long ago that I was kissed by Picard... He seems so tough, but he's just a teddy bear... So soft, so sweet, so caring...  
  
Maybe it's not Alex that's kissing me... Maybe it's.. it's Picard...  
  
...That's his hand roaming through my hair, another of his hands tickling my neck...  
  
I haven't left Vale... yet...  
  
.~.  
  
-Crunch.-  
  
Felix's eyes jolted open at the new sensation on his ear. Ow...! Alex? No...  
  
GEODE!! -- His mind screamed.  
  
...And Alex was still kissing him.  
  
With a grunt, he kicked Alex off of him, jumping up and spitting viciously at the ground. Panting, rubbing his sore ear, and shaking his head, he saw Alex smile, despite the fact Felix had kicked him hard across the chest.  
  
"That helped you decide, didn't it?" Alex said chuckling, dusting off his clothes. Felix blinked.  
  
"...What?"  
  
"I helped you decide whether you wanted to remain with Picard or not... And not only that, I got a free kiss off of you." Alex grinned. Felix's eyes widened, and with a snarl of rage, he leaped at the Mercury adept, but he had vanished.  
  
"Damn you, Alex... Damn you..." Felix grumbled as he lay on the damp ground. "And Geode... What the hell was that for?"  
  
/You and Alex... That's just nasty./ Geode said with disgust. /You were having little fantasies about Picard -- I don't need to know 'bout those, thanks -- while you were kissing Alex... ALEX... Not Picard. So I bit you. Don't need you exchanging saliva with some freaky jerk that nearly destroyed the world a few years ago!/  
  
"Don't remind me..." Felix sighed, getting up and walking back towards Lunpa's house.  
  
/You never wash behind your ears, do you?/ Geode asked, appearing on his shoulder, some sort of cleaning instrument in his mouth. Felix chose not to ask how the Djinni could wash its teeth without arms, much less hands. /Yuck./  
  
"Geode..."  
  
/You know you like havin' me around! Ptooie./  
  
Felix rolled his eyes. At least he had some sort of company... Though it was rather unwanted.  
  
/Hey, I heard that./ Geode said sourly as he (Possibly she? Felix wondered, shivering further) disappeared back into the crevices of Felix's mind.  
  
.~.  
  
"We'll have to stay here tonight."  
  
"But Sheba -- "  
  
"We'll just get swept back in this darkness. We'll make better time in the morning." The Jupiter adept said tiredly, gazing at the rock that had been formed into a star. "And I'm sure Garet will appreciate it."  
  
Jenna grimaced, knowing she was right about both things. Her poor Garet!  
  
"How's he doing, Picard?"  
  
"He'll be fine in the morning. Of course, he'll probably just be sick all over again."  
  
Jenna sighed. She didn't want to clean the deck again after the mess Garet made this afternoon...  
  
"We'll get there by tomorrow, and after I persuade Felix to come back with us, we can use the Lapis to get back to Vale."  
  
"Who said it's just you?" Jenna questioned, hands on her hips. "I'm his sister!"  
  
"Alright, alright, *we.*" Picard corrected. Such a protective sister Felix had... "You should all get some sleep. We still have a way to go tomorrow."  
  
Ivan and Sheba said their good nights and went down into the cabin area, but Jenna lingered at the door.  
  
"You do love him, don't you?" She smiled faintly, brushing a few strands of dark red hair out of her pretty face.  
  
"Of course I do. That's why I'm here." Picard answered, staring at the stars still partially covered with clouds.  
  
"I'm glad he's found someone... He would be an emotional wreck otherwise. Someone to care for him when he's sick, to drown him in happiness, to raise children with..." She stood next to him, staring at the dark water. "...Or not."  
  
"You don't mind, do you?"  
  
Jenna suddenly felt shy and withdrawn. She hadn't taken into account of the strangeness of Felix and Picard's intricate relationship since about four days previous. Here was her brother's lover -- Picard, the Lemurian. The fact he was a man was too blatantly obvious for her to forget about the laws Vale clung to so tightly. She knew, before any of them (Except perhaps said Lemurian) were born, anyone who disregarded a rule was put to death, until the scarcity of adepts forced them to stop.  
  
When Jenna did not answer him, Picard sighed. He expected as much...  
  
"Even if you disapprove, I am afraid I cannot do anything to change your views. I do love Felix with everything in me. The fact you might hate me does not stop me from loving him."  
  
"I'm sorry...." Jenna whispered. "You must think I'm selfish... I'm just worried about him. I don't want him to be hated by Vale, like he was when he had to take the Elemental Stars so many years ago..."  
  
"I understand." Picard said. "I love him nonetheless."  
  
"Thank you, Picard. Anybody else would leave him as soon as they found out their lives were on the line. You've... done so much for him..." The Mars adept murmured, tears of gratitude spilling down her cheeks. Picard found himself blushing as she hugged him tightly in one of her patented Death- Squeeze Jenna hugs. Once he caught his breath again and she had went down to bed, he sighed, shook his head, and smiled.  
  
"Such a protective sister. . ."  
  
.~.  
  
End VII  
  
.~.  
  
GAH! SCREW THIS! #_#!! Okay, okay, I'm lengthening it _ONE MORE CHAPTER!_ Yeesh!  
  
[Felix: Gaah! More scary images! *Hides*]  
  
::Sighs:: Next chapter will actually be considered "The end." I promise. It's because of all you review peoples... I think... So... yeah! Next chapter... All fluff. Yeek. And the epilogue... Yep. I luv you reviewers waaay too much, methinks. ^^;  
  
[Felix: *Shuddering under bed*]  
  
Y'know, my yaoi doujinshi is under there. -_-  
  
[Felix: YEEEEK!]  
  
[Taylor: My word, he screams like a girl!]  
  
[Stephanie: ....*Lightbulb!* Maybe he IS a girl!]  
  
*Long pause*  
  
[Stephanie: ...Nah. Otherwise, this wouldn't be a yaoi fic...]  
  
[Felix: Save... me...!!]  
  
Right, like anyone is. Then, we wouldn't have a star of this fic! ...Besides Picard-kun. Yeah. Review responses....  
  
Gay Witch: Of course it'll work out! I mean, cuz, if it didn't, I'd have all of you trying to kill me and have my head put up on a pike! ^^;  
  
Shiro: Really. Why do you seem so... so...  
  
[Stephanie: Conceited!]  
  
...Er, yeah, all of a sudden? ::Pokes flamethrower with a stick::  
  
Bladegryphon: Thankies!  
  
Piro Flare: Okay, okay, I'll work on updating s'more...  
  
Dragoness: Yes! He should go back! Except for the fact Picard and co are coming for him! XD  
  
Phishykiss: I'm not that good with angst, really... I stink at the dialogue between characters. (I run out of synonyms for 'said.' -.-;;) I'm glad you find it sad... er... sorta... It means my angst is improving! ^o^;  
  
Akiko-san: (Yes, I revere you that much to put a 'san' after your name! ^_^) Yay! Akiko-san read my stuff! Akiko-san read my stuff! ::Blows horn::  
  
Taidigimon: ...Y'know, I have no idea what's gonna happen in the future. 0_o... ::Shrugs:: I dunno. Happy ending is enough for Azu-chan. -o-;  
  
Riyn: ::Hugz:: I luv your story! ^_^ Torture Felix! Torture Felix! And Garet! GARET! BUWAHAHAHAHAHA! ::Ahem:: Yeah, it's all for the sake of plot lines. Fluffiness later.  
  
Saturos: Yea! Er, no Felix! ^^; No eating the cookies!  
  
Jellybee22: Yes, it is from the combination of dirt and water. ^^ You got some of the shippings right... Most shippings have a name for only the hetero couples... But I suppose, like for the EarthxFire shipping, the Valeshipping name would work, as Isaac, Garet, Felix and Jenna are all from Vale... Yeesh, this is complicated!  
  
Kairi: Kill... Jenna? 0_o.. In one of my fics, Mia dies... But... I luv Jenna! I'm not going to kill her anytime soon! I will update, tho! ^^;  
  
Karalen the Wood Elf: ::Edges away:: Of... of... COURSE fluffiness will ensue! ^_^;;  
  
Thanx for the reviews! I will update soon... And don't give me those dubious looks! I WILL! -o-;;;  
  
[Felix: Save me. Now.]  
  
[Stephanie: *Pokes Felix with a stick*]  
  
[Felix: Ow!]  
  
Hee. ^^;  
  
-life is like a beautiful song, only the lyrics are messed up.-  
  
How so very true. -_- 


	8. Storm

- Stirring Earth -  
  
-o-; Meh. It is the ennnnd!  
  
[Felix: Hallelujah!]  
  
Well, there's the epilogue. Don't really know what I'll do with that... Mia's baby? *KEEL EET!* ...Nah. Don't like Mia, but I'm not that cruel...  
  
[Felix: 0_0 How does Picard DEAL with this?]  
  
Maybe he likes it? I dunno. I never talk to him... Just you, Steph, Taylor... Lu... Aury, who's in the Bahamas... GRR! Yep. I'm just pissed that the bracelet I took at least 40 minutes making broke in a few seconds. -_-;; I didn't even have it on my wrist for more than fifteen minutes... GRRR! ::Grumble:: You peeps don't need to listen to me rant... Just read the story you're here for...  
  
Warning: *Yawn* PicardxFelix sap (I think), some angsty moments... Bleh. A summon shows up, so, yeah. Pro'bly outta character (The summon), but I'm weird like that.  
  
.~.  
  
Chapter eight: Storm  
  
Hey, has anybody noticed the trend in chapter titles? ^_^;  
  
- Desperation, tears, and a god with problems -  
  
.~.  
  
"Nononono! Backbackback! No, wait! Go! Go!"  
  
"Sheba, make up your mind!"  
  
"Oh, too late."  
  
Ivan sighed, pressing the heel of his hand into his close eyelid, trying to reduce the pain that blossomed there.  
  
"I have a headache." Picard stated.  
  
"Don't whine! We're almost there!" Sheba snorted, at the bow of the ship. "Ivan!"  
  
"I have a headache, too!"  
  
"You're all so whiny today!"  
  
"You have your days too, Ms. Child of the Gods..." Ivan said sourly.  
  
"It's Mrs." Sheba corrected flatly. "And those days are THOSE days."  
  
"Oh, that clears everything up!" Picard said from the wheel.  
  
"Shut up." The Gods' Child snapped.  
  
"Are we almost there?" Jenna asked, sticking her head out of the infirmary door, where Garet still rested.  
  
"Almost. We'd get there sooner if these two idiots didn't complain of non- existent headaches." Sheba replied, glaring at said idiots. Ivan sighed again.  
  
"I *do* have a headache..."  
  
"You're lying, Ivan."  
  
"D'you think I look like I'm lying?" Ivan pouted, moving next to her and giving her his special puppy dog eyes. Sheba grumbled.  
  
"You *swore* that you'd never use those against me again." She reminded him tartly.  
  
"Oh, did I?"  
  
"Whatever. To the left, all the way up, then around the volcano! We're almost there!"  
  
"You said that an hour ago, Sheba!" Picard said.  
  
"Just do it!"  
  
"Yes ma'am." The Lemurian said quickly, remembering the fact that crossing a mad Jupiter Adept who had a thunderbolt fetish with a Mercury Adept was probably a bad idea. A very bad idea.  
  
Soon enough, they came into the expanse of water where they had fought Poseidon. With a few more calmer directions from Sheba, Picard steered around the large chunks of rock and towards Lemuria, where Felix awaited them.  
  
.~.  
  
Felix... We're almost there. Will you want to come home with us? I can only hope for the best.  
  
...It doesn't matter, really. I'll drag you, kicking and screaming, all the way back to Vale if I had to. Because I love you that much. It hurts me to see you in pain, but taking you home is something I must do, or my soul will never be at peace.  
  
I miss our conversations, after all...  
  
.~.  
  
Sheba smiled faintly at the course of thoughts running through Picard's head. She hadn't Mind Read him exactly, but her heightened sense of detecting strong emotions was enough. The poor guy... All heart broken... Because her little twit Ivan had spied on them...  
  
Ooo, Ivan had a plasma bolt with his name on it.  
  
"We've made it! Jenna, Ivan, come on!" Sheba yelled, vaulting over a railing in her excitement.  
  
"What about Garet?"  
  
"He's sleeping, isn't he?"  
  
"Yeah, but..."  
  
"He won't notice a thing unless a sea monster jumps on him and screams bloody murder. Come on, you're worried about your brother, aren't you?"  
  
Jenna nodded, casting the door Garet lay behind a glance. After setting the plank, they went down to walk amongst the crumbling ruins of Lemuria...  
  
"Well, why *wouldn't* he come?"  
  
"He doesn't like Lemuria anymore?"  
  
"There's no way! Lemuria's his home!"  
  
"Um... He doesn't... he doesn't... Er..."  
  
"Look!"  
  
The other Lemurian guard looked to where his friend was pointing.  
  
"Picard!"  
  
"Hey, you two! Have you seen Felix around?"  
  
The two guards looked at each other.  
  
"Yeah..." One of them said uncertainly.  
  
"Why?" The other asked.  
  
"He ran off during the night. We've come to retrieve him." Jenna answered, adjusting her traveling cape.  
  
"He ran off?"  
  
"But why?"  
  
"You two ask far too many questions..." Picard said tiredly. "We've come to get him, that's all. You have no business asking further."  
  
The two guard were stunned a moment.  
  
"But -- "  
  
"We still -- "  
  
Whomp.  
  
"Did one of you cast Sleep?" Jenna blinked, looking between the two blonde Jupiter Adepts.  
  
"Did you?" Sheba poked Ivan.  
  
"Did you? I did."  
  
"So did I. That would explain them falling so suddenly."  
  
"Oh. Well, now that the path's cleared, come on!"  
  
Stepping over the unconscious (And drooling) guards, the four of them made their way towards Felix.  
  
.~.  
  
Felix was sitting on a corner of the roof of Lunpa's house. Breathing in the misty air, he sighed. Sure, running off was always exciting, but being bored... Ugh. Shaking his head and wondering why he came to Lemuria of all places -- Champa would've at least been a bit more interesting -- he stood and began moving back towards the door, when he noticed something.  
  
Not noticed, really, but *sensed*... That was...  
  
The beating of his heart suddenly sped up.  
  
That was the aura of a Mars adept, a large aura of Jupiter adepts, and a Mercury adept...  
  
Had they found him?  
  
No, they couldn't have --  
  
"Felix! Where are you?"  
  
"Felix!"  
  
Biting his lip, he ducked into the passageway, running back to his room and scooping up his meager possessions. What to do... what to do...  
  
He eyed the Teleportation Lapis. Where could he go...? No where in Angara, they'd find him... Perhaps somewhere on Osenia? Mikasalla? No... That was too close... Contigo? No! His mind raced for answers.  
  
Then it occured to him.  
  
Prox.  
  
.~.  
  
Once they reached the fountain, they split up. Ivan went to ask the guards stationed at King Hydros' palace. Sheba went to the graveyard, Picard went to his uncle, and Jenna was directed to go to Lunpa's house.  
  
"Find him?" Ivan asked Sheba breathlessly as they met each other back at the fountain again.  
  
"No... Nobody over there has seen him..." She murmured.  
  
Picard cursed under his breath. Felix had to be somewhere --  
  
"Lunpa? Lunpa! Open up!"  
  
"Wha -- what? Ms. Jenna?"  
  
"Is Felix here?"  
  
"Why, yes he is, but -- "  
  
Lunpa was thrown aside as Jenna swept past him. She glanced around the room frantically, then she ran over to the staircase.  
  
"Felix!"  
  
.~.  
  
Felix had managed to stuff his things into his traveling bag, and he paused a moment to detect the auras. The Jupiter adepts -- Ivan and Sheba, he presumed -- were far off. The Mercury -- Picard, he thought dejectedly -- no where nearby. The Mars --  
  
"Felix! There you are!"  
  
He whirled. Jenna!  
  
"Finally! All this time, and..." Jenna stumbled over to him. Her eyes were brimming with tears.  
  
All this time? It had barely been a few days! He glanced out the window again. Jenna had stopped near the table to catch her breath, but she wasn't watching him. Apparently, she didn't expect him to disappear again...  
  
"Felix, oh, Felix, I was so worried!" The Mars adept sobbed, moving as though to hug him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jen..." Felix said softly, clenching the Lapis in one hand, hidden to her eyes. "I'm really sorry."  
  
"It's alright, Fe! Just come back." One of her delicate hands moved towards him, to touch him.  
  
A yellow Psynergetic circle appeared under Felix's feet. All the papers and books Lunpa had neatly stacked suddenly whirled away as Felix prepared to Teleport once more. Jenna fell backwards, landing hard on her backside.  
  
"I am sorry, Jenna! But please, give me more time!"  
  
"Felix, no, wait! You can't -- "  
  
"I'm sorry!"  
  
He disappeared into little Psynergetic blobs of color, whizzing off out the window. Jenna was stunned beyond belief.  
  
"I was so close... Felix... Why?" Jenna wailed. Lunpa found her sitting amongst a pile of his books, papers, and portraits, crying her eyes out.  
  
.~.  
  
Picard sighed. Jenna had been so close to Felix... So close... But he had left. Again. What was wrong with him? Everyone was perfectly fine about their relationship, or so he thought.  
  
"Mother... You told me I deserved happiness... But were you sure of your words when you said that?" He asked the gravestone.  
  
He reached out to touch the cool stone, tracing the letters etched into its surface.  
  
"You also said you would protect me and my loved ones once you passed on. Would you protect Felix? Would you make sure nothing happens to him, and that he comes home in one piece? If you would do that, I will be eternally grateful." Bowing his head and clasping his hands, he silently chanted a Lemurian prayer, hoping the messenger of the heavens would take his request to his deceased mother.  
  
He couldn't afford to waste more time. Nodding to the gravestone one last time, he went to find his friends.  
  
.~.  
  
Dammit... Felix... We came so close. Why do you run? Do you... hate me? No, you can't. Not with all the two of us have been through. But why must you face your inner trials by yourself? I can help. Jenna can. Sheba, Mia, Isaac... All of them.  
  
I love you so badly it hurts. But your time away from me hurts me even more...  
  
...I miss your eyes so much.  
  
.~.  
  
"Where would he go now?"  
  
"I don't know! Just find him!" Jenna sobbed.  
  
"Please, Jenna..."  
  
"Why? Felix! We all miss you! Why can't you come back?"  
  
"Jenna, get a hold of yourself!" Sheba scolded, gripping the Mars adept's shaking shoulders. "You won't be of any help if you're an emotional wreck!"  
  
"She's right, Jen." Garet, who had recently gotten up after hearing his wife cry her eyes out, said. "You're the only one here who knows Felix best besides Picard."  
  
Picard stood at the wheel, resting his chin on a peg. None of them knew where he could have gone. And new cities may have popped up since the lighting of the Lighthouses... No. That wasn't possible, Ivan always checked with them when he found out that new colonies had been made.  
  
Then it occured to him there was somebody else that knew plenty about Felix.  
  
Sheba was leaning on the side of the ship, staring morosely at the water, when she noticed rocks were passing them by. Or, rather, they were passing rocks.  
  
"Picard! What are you doing?"  
  
"There's somebody else who might know where Felix has gone!"  
  
"And who is that?" Sheba asked, her interest piqued.  
  
"Hama."  
  
"But -- Hama's in Contigo!"  
  
"Exactly." Picard said grimly. "We have to go to her..."  
  
"But... It'll take *ages* to get to Hama!"  
  
"Do you have any better ideas?" The Lemurian glanced at her. Sheba frowned and looked away.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Then go tell the others to prepare their Psynergy. If we're going to make good time, we have to fly."  
  
Sheba sighed as she walked back down to the deck where Jenna and Ivan were arguing over something. If Picard was wrong about Hama knowing Felix's whereabouts, she was going to smack him into next Friday.  
  
.~.  
  
Felix sneezed, the force of it making him stumble into a large snowdrift. Even after the lighting, snow was abundant in Prox. Damn that. He was laying on his side in deep snow that was beginning to numb all his senses. He considered, for a moment, staying there and letting everything just go numb, but the last thing he wanted was for Jenna, Picard and everyone else to be more devastated than they already were. Yanking himself out, most of his right side tingling in the crisp air, he continued along the frozen stream towards Prox.  
  
"Mommy, look!"  
  
"What is it, dear?"  
  
"Someone's come!"  
  
The woman blinked once at her bouncing child, then at the person trudging towards the gate. She squinted. He looked vaguely familiar...  
  
"Go fetch Puelle, Sara."  
  
"Okay!"  
  
The girl ran off through the snowflakes.  
  
.~.  
  
With some crazy, last-minute changes in their course, Picard had set the boat down at Kimbobo, insisting that cutting through Gondowan would be faster that going all the way south to the Cliffs. Now, they were staying at the Inn, all contemplating their current situation. Jenna was sniffling occasionally on Garet's shoulder. Garet was stroking her hair and looking blankly at the floor. Ivan and Sheba were plotting the fastest way to Contigo near the window. Picard was no where in sight.  
  
Picard was standing on the cliff nearby the great statue, the same area where he had first joined Felix's team. With a sigh, he wondered if this was all just a lost cause.... Would it have been a better idea just to wait for Felix's return? Felix seemed to have no knowledge as of how fast time passed. A few years could pass before he realized he had loved ones waiting back at home for him. So, it was better to go after him, even if he ran...  
  
"Do you wish he would come back?"  
  
Picard jumped at least two feet into the air and he whirled around. Nobody. Okay, this was getting cliche.  
  
"...Who?"  
  
"You know... Him."  
  
"'Him'?"  
  
"Felix... The one you love."  
  
"Why do you know, or care?"  
  
There was a rustle in the trees. Picard glanced sharply in their direction, and a man leaped out.  
  
"Who are you?" Picard demanded, fingering the dagger in the sash at his waist.  
  
The man smiled good-naturedly. His brown hair seemed to fling outwards at the sides, making him look like a bird had made a nest in it. His eyes were a clear blue, his skin, pale, and his clothing was nearly all blues and golds. Picard blinked.  
  
"You don't know, do you? Oh, I suppose that's good. It's better if you don't recognize me..."  
  
"...I'm supposed to know who you are?"  
  
"I am Azul. Pleased to meet you, again."  
  
"Azul? The dragon? The summon?"  
  
Azul scowled.  
  
"The god, yes."  
  
Picard blinked rapidly.  
  
"The gods have human forms?"  
  
"Obviously." Azul said with a roll of his eyes. "You and the others aren't the *only* ones protecting Weyard, you know. But people would notice if some scary dark beast with long nails, some dragons, and a knight with wings and a huge sword walked around town."  
  
"I see..." Picard murmured.  
  
"Now, let's get you to Felix!" Azul clapped his hands.  
  
"...What? ....What about Jenna and the others?"  
  
"Oh, they won't care either way, as long as you come back with Felix." Azul smiled broadly. "Do you care for flying that much?"  
  
"Flying?"  
  
"No, I suppose flying would take longer... Teleportation is best."  
  
Picard, at this point, wasn't sure he liked Azul's company that much anymore, god or not.  
  
"Let's go, then!" Azul grabbed him by the hand, pulling him up into the air. "To Prox!"  
  
....Prox?  
  
They disappeared into the night sky.  
  
.~.  
  
....Should I be grateful that Azul is doing this for me? Why can I even think, anyhow? I'm defying the laws of gravity and sanity! And speed... I left my stomach somewhere on that cliff. Is he really taking me to Prox? Why the hell would Felix go there to begin with? ...Azul is scaring me. But I'm more worried about Felix. I'm not complaining.  
  
.~.  
  
"Here we are!"  
  
Picard fell face forward into the snow.  
  
"Nice landing." He remarked. Azul frowned as they began walking towards the gate.  
  
"That's something pleasant to say to a god who can strike you down at any given time."  
  
"So why did you bother bringing me here?"  
  
Azul sighed.  
  
"Because Daedalus ordered me to, and trust me, an unhappy Daedalus is a very bad Daedalus."  
  
Picard found himself staring at the god.  
  
Azul looked at him.  
  
"What? Have you ever *seen* an unhappy Daedalus? Or, for that matter, an Iris on her monthly?"  
  
Picard shuddered.  
  
"Yes, it's scary. A normal human such as yourself would be traumatized for life."  
  
"I already am..." Picard muttered under his breath.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
The two of them walked into Prox, unaware of the biting cold as they were Mercury-based. There were only a few villagers milling around, none of them noticing the foreigners in their presence. Azul stopped short in the middle of the path, his eyes glowing a bright blue a moment. Then, with a beckoning of his hand, the two of them headed to a house up on a cliff, to the north.  
  
(WAAH! It's coming to an end! ;-;....... Oh, um, whatever.)  
  
"Um... Azul? Question?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"If Felix is in one of those homes, won't the owners get mad at us if we barge in?"  
  
"No worries! Gods can get around any problem!"  
  
"Should I.... be worried?"  
  
"No need to be worried, nope, none at all!"  
  
"They're going to kill us, aren't they?"  
  
"Possibly, but I can always make sure they're preoccupied momentarily as you two dramatically, romantically reunite!" Azul sighed girlishly. His companion was sure hearts were floating around the god's head.  
  
Picard pitied the other gods with a deep, deep sympathy.  
  
"Come on. You first." Azul held out a hand towards the door.  
  
"No. You're the god. You go first."  
  
"Your lover is waiting behind that door, Picard."  
  
"Humans can't kill gods."  
  
"Do you want me to just leave?"  
  
"I think I'd be safer that way!"  
  
Azul glared at Picard a moment before opening the door and heading inside. Picard followed him.  
  
.~.  
  
Felix lay in the bed Puelle had let him rest in, his body curled up into a fetal position. Some 'great warrior' he was. He rested his cheek on the pillow, resisting the rising urge to sob. He missed Picard so badly...  
  
He wrenched himself up suddenly, clutching the blankets around his chest. Something had shot through his mind, something so fleeting... He knew what it was, yet it felt so distant, so foreign...  
  
His chin dropped to his chest as hot tears trickled down his cheeks. The grip in which he held the blankets was shaking violently. He would go insane this way, and soon. Hadn't he done the right thing in leaving? Or would this only lead to an early death for him? With a cry of frustration, he leaped out of the bed, heading towards the door.  
  
Felix, with all his luck, however, ran into something. Something warm...  
  
"Where are you going?" It whispered.  
  
"Some place... where I can find peace again." He whispered desperately back.  
  
"You've found it already. You just left it..." Something brushed over his lower lip and he tried wrenching away, to no avail.  
  
Azul watched the scene unfold in the hallway, a triumphant grin on his face, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned on the wall.  
  
A hand curled fingers in his messy hair, pressing his face against a familar chest.  
  
He... had cried into this chest more than one time. He would cry into it one last time before the tears would end for good...  
  
"I don't know what I should do anymore... I don't know what I *can* do... Please... don't go..." Felix begged.  
  
"I won't. Not ever." Picard murmured, leaning down and kissing him with complete and total abandon.  
  
". . .I love you. . ." Felix said, holding onto the Lemurian's shirt tightly. Picard smiled and kissed his forehead.  
  
"I love you, too. But you're such an idiot, you know that?"  
  
"That wasn't very romantic...." Felix frowned.  
  
"Our relationship has always skimmed the lines of romantic, but I think it's leaning more towards oddity." Picard sighed, kissing his hand. "Shall we go home?"  
  
"Okay..." He nodded. He blinked. "Um, who's that?"  
  
"Who?" Picard hugged the Earth adept close, tucking Felix's head under his chin as he smiled at Azul over his hair. Azul waved, then disappeared in a sparkle of blue and gold.  
  
"Never mind, he's gone now..." Felix said disappointedly. "Let's go home."  
  
"We have to make a stop first. I... sort of left everyone else behind at Contigo."  
  
"How'd you get here, then?"  
  
"Divine intervention." Picard said, a secretive smile on his face.  
  
"...I won't ask..." Felix muttered, grabbing the Lapis. "To Contigo we go."  
  
.~.  
  
Anywhere for you, love.  
  
.~.  
  
~ ~ E n d e ~ ~  
  
.~.  
  
WAHOO! End! ^_^ YEESH, anybody else think that was a hell-of-a-long chapter?  
  
[Felix] ....-_-  
  
::Pats Felix on the head:: ::Pauses:: ;-; WAAH! IT'S THE ENNNND! ::Sob::  
  
[Felix] ^o^  
  
[Taylor] Whoo! The end of yaoi!  
  
You people are so mean! ;_; ::Cries:: My sister is hogging the computer currently, and I... sort of see no reason in answering reviews, this IS the last chapter. I'm considering not doing an epilogue (What the hell can I DO for an epilogue, anyhow?) and just leaving this as it is, but I'll feel guilty, and... Why do I get the feeling some of you are going to come after me with weapons of mass destruction if I don't put one final chapter up? 0_o....  
  
[Taylor] That's mainly on cause of Shiro, I think.  
  
No... I'm perfectly fine with fire.... I'm just... afraid... of what... some others... might do... I might do something ::Edges further away from reviewers:: with Azul... I mean, he was weird enough here... I can only wonder what happens in God-Ville. Or whatever they call it.  
  
[Taylor] Try 'Heaven.'  
  
Nah, that's for God, not gods.  
  
[Taylor] -.-;  
  
Azul... Azul and... ::Looks around:: Ulysses? Haures? 0_o... Or, maybe I should just have a mad Daedalus and a PMS-y Iris running around...  
  
[Taylor] Enough with the yaoi! I'm sure the reviewers will be traumatized if you have that icky beast that Haures is swooning over Azul!  
  
Haures won't look like he is. -_- He'll end up looking something like Karasu from YYH... ::Sighs dreamily:: Karasu... Mmm....  
  
[Stephanie] Oh dear, she's lapsing into 'Bishie' Mode...  
  
::Snaps out of it:: Oh. So my sis isn't on the computer. I'll answer reviews quickly, then...  
  
Karalen the Wood Elf: 0_0 ::Dives for flag:: Have a plate of cookies to go with it? ^^  
  
TaoGirl: I'll see 'bout the epilogue, okay? It'll feed your update- addiction, ne?  
  
Gay Witch: 0_o I'm happy with Felix. I get to chain him to the ground, anyhow! ^o^  
  
Kairi Flamebreeze: Hey, kewl name. ^^ Well, I'm not going to kill Jenna... I like her too much. And then, I'd have David on my tail. o_o; That's not good. At all. Maybe some other one, okay?  
  
Dragoness: Well, I didn't go for that completely... Something a bit more romantic. ^^;  
  
Akiko-san: Of COURSE you're revered! ::Bows:: *_*  
  
Taidigimon: Mm, true, but that'd be sad...  
  
Shiro Amayagi: You're conceited. Yes, you are. Don't make me sic the chickens on you! And if you don't like this... ::Glare:: THEN WHY THE HELL D'YOU READ IT?  
  
Phishykiss: 0_o....  
  
Kavria: ...Taylor...  
  
[Taylor] XP  
  
Baka. -_-;  
  
[Taylor] Heeeey....  
  
Riyn: Yes, Alex is that... I dunno. Would that count as pathetic? ^_^;; SaturoxFelixxSaturos scares me... ::Hug::  
  
Mare Serenitatis: 0_o.... I.... won't ask...  
  
Yeah, thanks for the fun times, peeps. ^_^ Epilogue... soon. Tell me if you want that to be a yaoi (...Gods. 0_o...), or just humor (With a few possible bits of shonen-ai on the side). It'll be fun either way! (Both will be humorous...) Yeah. Vote...  
  
-for as many times as the waves embrace the shore, is as many times as I think of you.- 


	9. On Holidays

- Stirring Earth -  
  
~ The Epilogue ~  
  
Whoo, won't this be fun? ^_^ An angry Daedalus, a PMS-y Iris, a hyper Azul, and a hormone-driven Haures running around... Kekekekekeke.  
  
[Felix] At least there's no more me.  
  
Are you SURE ABOUT THAT? ::Evil grin::  
  
[Felix] 0_o  
  
My planned pairings, MAIN pairings are as follows: I've switched 'em around. The main pairing is CharonxFlora, but you have a crazy Haures following a hyper Azul everywhere, so there should be enough yaoi undertones for you fans... I intended for this epilogue to be mainly HauresxAzul, but it sorta... didn't end up that way. ^^;;  
  
Oh, note, note, note! Atalanta, Thor, Nereid, Megaera, Flora, Ulysses, Coatlicue and Iris all appear as they do as summons in the game. Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury appear to be children that look vaguely like the heroes from the original GS. Everyone else... I have altered. ^^;; I'm sorry I don't provide descriptions on all of them, but with some luck, I MIGHT write upon these characters ANOTHER TIME! (I'm getting very odd ideas... 0_o)  
  
.~.  
  
Epilogue: On Holidays  
  
- What happens when gods have Valentine's Day -  
  
Ohoohoohoo! ^o^  
  
.~.  
  
Nereid, Procne and Eclipse were walking along in the gardens outside the large building where most of their talking and Weyard-watching went on, when -- boom.  
  
Eclipse was thrown to the paved ground. Procne landed in the bushes, and Nereid -- lucky her -- fell into a shallow pool.  
  
"Oohh, who was it this time?" Nereid snarled, her violet hair plastered to her skull.  
  
"Probably Daedalus," Eclipse replied with a roll of her dark eyes. "You know he's been having... problems... lately."  
  
"Haures has, too."  
  
"Is it just me, or has Ulysses been acting out of character as well?" Procne asked, getting pulled out of the prickly underbrush by Eclipse. Nereid hauled herself out of the pool, wringing out her kimono-like clothing with a scowl.  
  
"Urgh, that stupid idiot... I'm going to ask Jude and Cat if I can kill him..."  
  
"If they don't kill you first." Procne said with a smile. Nereid 'hmph'ed, and stalked off.  
  
Eclipse stared after the form of the water goddess, a puzzled look on her face. Turning to Procne, she asked a question.  
  
"Isn't today... Valentine's?"  
  
(Ohohohohoho!)  
  
.~.  
  
"I can't do this!"  
  
"Oh, come on! You prepared for this for days!"  
  
"I still can't do this!"  
  
"You're not going get another chance at this!"  
  
"I can't DO THIS!"  
  
"COME ON! She's going to go soon!"  
  
"You do it!"  
  
"I can't! I'm not the one who likes her, remember?!"  
  
"Pleeease?"  
  
Ulysses stared hard at Ramses, whose eyes were (Very frighteningly) watering.  
  
"Ramses..."  
  
"PLEASE!"  
  
Ulysses sighed and looked back out at the fountain were Megaera sat, playing a lute.  
  
"I don't like her. She'll suspect something if I give a red paper heart to her!"  
  
"Please! Ulysses! It's all I ask! You... I'll let you... Um..." Ramses glanced around quickly, as though expecting his limited options to appear around him. "I'll help you with Azul...?"  
  
Ulysses squeaked, blushing a bright red color. How did HE know about his infatuation with that hyper god?  
  
"Come on! I have blackmail material on you now!" An evil grin spread over the blonde's tanned face.  
  
"No! No! That's bad. Give it to me. I'll do it."  
  
Ramses smiled and handed over the red heart. Ulysses glared at it disdainfully, before slipping it up one of his billowing sleeves.  
  
"I'll give it to her later, okay?"  
  
"No! Do it now!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just do it now! Get it over with!" Ramses wheedled, clasping his hands in front of him earnestly. Ulysses sighed.  
  
"You really owe me for this."  
  
"Of course I do!" The Venus god said, nodding quickly.  
  
With a final glare at Ramses, Ulysses stepped out of their hiding spot behind the rose bushes, making his way towards the war goddess, unaware of the many eyes watching his every move.  
  
"Meg?" He called softly, slipping his hands up his sleeves. Megaera looked up, setting her lute down.  
  
"Oh, what is it, Ulysses?" She asked, a small smile on her lips. Ulysses had always thought it odd of her being a war goddess when she was so... calm, and quiet, unlike Nereid.  
  
"I, um... I wanted to... give this to you." Ulysses gulped, pulling the red heart with its cheesy poetry out. He handed it to her, keeping his gaze on the floor. "It's not from -- "  
  
"Ulysses, oh my gosh! Thank you!" Megaera leaped up and hugged him tightly around the neck. The mage's eyes widened. "I wanted to give something to you, too." She said shyly, pulling a small card out of a pocket on her hip. She pressed it into his chest, a blush on her cheeks.  
  
"I, well, I didn't...." Ulysses stammered, clutching the card in one hand. Megaera bit her lip. He cleared his throat. "Um, what I meant to say is... Thank you, and you're welcome."  
  
Megaera smiled and kissed his cheek. She picked up her lute, bowed slightly, then ran off, reminding him of a child. With a sigh, he plopped himself down on the edge of the fountain, staring at the card in his hand. With a groan, he dropped his forehead into his hands.  
  
.~.  
  
"Oh. My. Gosh. That DID NOT just happen." Jupiter said to her friend, Mercury.  
  
"Ugh, will you give it up?" The young goddess said, sighing. "Ulysses SO does not like you, anyhow!"  
  
Jupiter looked at Mercury with a scandalized expression on her childish face.  
  
"Who says so, Azul-lover?"  
  
Mercury rolled her eyes.  
  
"At least he's WORTH liking." The blue-haired goddess said, swinging her legs back and forth as her eyes trailed over a sentence in her book.  
  
Whomp.  
  
"OW!"  
  
"Azul totally acts like a kid! He acts like Mars and Venus!" Jupiter said angrily, waving her hands around.  
  
"Exactly! He's not so... stoic, and all that!"  
  
"But Azul has completely whacked-out hair! Ulysses is so... so..." Jupiter sighed dreamily, a hand on her forehead. Mercury snorted. "He's so... Debonair..."  
  
"You've been reading from Tiamat-san's library again, haven't you?"  
  
"Oh, who told you that?"  
  
Mercury shook her head, picking up her book and standing.  
  
"Come on, Iris-san will yell at us if we're late for dinner again."  
  
"She yells all the time! It doesn't matter!"  
  
"If she hears you..."  
  
"Shut up." Jupiter snapped.  
  
.~.  
  
Iris glowered at everyone as they ate their meal. Somebody placed a hand over hers, and with a start, she looked up to see the unnaturally kind eyes of Catastrophe. (Y'know, his name's such a #$(%# to write out..)  
  
"Don't be so tense." He said. Iris flushed, going back to poking at her food. The hand left.  
  
Someone at the other end of the table saw this and scribbled it down on a notepad.  
  
"Will you let that up?" Mars whined, stabbing a piece of broccolli on his plate.  
  
"It's good to have blackmail material sometimes!" Venus said defensively, sticking the pen back in his breastpocket only to yank it back out, seeing Megaera latched onto Ulysses' arm. Mars wondered why all of his siblings were weird.  
  
"Don't you find their relationship disturbing?" Flora asked her friends, at another portion of the table, pointing at Haures and Azul with her fork. She could have sworn Haures had been feeding Azul...  
  
"In what way?" Coatlicue asked in her normal soft demeanor.  
  
"You saw Haures running after Azul earlier today! With a whip!" Flora added the last bit hastily, a piece of asparagus sticking out of her mouth.  
  
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Eclipse scolded, taking a sip from her wine. "Their relationship is their own personal business."  
  
"I'm worried about Azul, though! What if he's forced into this relationship? You know, like in -- "  
  
"Please leave my books out of this." Tiamat interrupted. Flora frowned and stared at her mashed potatoes.  
  
"Still.... Azul can be so... irresponsible sometimes. I worry about him." She said, making designs in the potatoes with the prongs of her fork. "He's never really crashed with sadness, or depression..."  
  
Coatlicue smiled kindly. "I'm sure nothing will go wrong."  
  
"And besides, if something *does* happen, we can always beat Haures into the ground!" Nereid said happily.  
  
"Please, don't resort to violence...." Eclipse sighed.  
  
.~.  
  
The next day...  
  
.~.  
  
Flora growled, staring down at the piece of parchment in her hand. Another one of these stupid parties with people she knew and saw *every single damned day*....  
  
The paper was an invitation to a post-Valentine's Day party. The requirement were some fancy clothes and a date. Rolling her eyes, she crumpled the paper, knowing the ratio to goddesses to gods was off. But of course, there were a few...  
  
"Floraaaa!"  
  
She squeaked. Oh please, not him, not him --  
  
"Floraaa!"  
  
Glomp.  
  
"Flora, dear, I'm trusting you got that lovely invitation?"  
  
Flora stared at Charon as though he were something Iris had tried creating in the kitchen. Prying his hands off of her, she stalked away, but Charon followed her.  
  
"Yes..." She said uncertainly. "But I don't plan on going."  
  
"Oh, but if you don't go, Iris will get soooo mad!"  
  
"I... don't care." Her voice wavered. "I've gotten yelled by her a few times already..."  
  
"*Only* a few times?"  
  
Flora sighed through gritted teeth. Remember, killing another god is bad... Even when it comes to an idiot like Charon... A cross-dresser like Charon... (Yes, I'm that cruel. Blame it on Dullahan, and his damned Charon- summoning every other turn!)  
  
"What do you want, Charon?"  
  
"I don't have a date!"  
  
The wind-rider was tempted to say, "Well, GOOD!" Instead, she continued walking in silence.  
  
"Who cares? I'm not going anyhow..."  
  
"I don't want Iris-san yelling at me!" Charon wailed, struggling to keep up with her long strides in his billowing robes. "Who can I go with?"  
  
"If you went as a guy, you'd have more options! But nooo, you have to go around in a dress all the time, and -- " Flora stopped short. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Never mention Charon's real gender around him....  
  
Charon was silent a few moments. Flora begged to Iris (As she couldn't beg to herself) that Charon wouldn't start crying.  
  
"If I..." The boatsman started slowly. "If I went as a... a man... would you go with me?"  
  
Flora stopped dead in the middle of the hallway, an intensely horrified look on her face. Fortunately, Charon didn't see.  
  
"I, um..." Oh, what the hell. Maybe he looked BETTER as a guy. With an involuntary shudder, Flora answered him, "Okay."  
  
Charon broke out into an ear-to-ear smile, taking her hand and kissing it many times. Flora squeaked again.  
  
"Thank you, Flora-love! I'll make sure you won't regret it!" And he turned down another hallway, leaving Flora to stare at her kiss-ridden hand and wondering what the HELL was wrong with her.  
  
...Wait a second. Flora-love?  
  
......Was Charon in love with her?  
  
.........Oh please, all things good and holy, no!  
  
.~.  
  
"Mm... Haures..." Azul murmured sleepily.[*]  
  
"Azul. . ."  
  
Azul blinked. That... wasn't the proper time. No way... They hadn't been cuddling for more than --  
  
"Shit!"  
  
Haures blinked.  
  
"What is it, love?"  
  
"We're going to be late to that party! Iris will have our heads up on a pike!"  
  
"That's a pleasant thought..." Haures muttered, brushing some of his black locks behind an ear.  
  
"She's capable of it!" Azul said as he ran from the bathroom to the closet and back to the bathroom again.  
  
"That's what disturbs me, Azul..."  
  
"Why aren't you getting ready?" The god slowed in his actions, pulling on a jacket. Haures shrugged.  
  
"It's not that difficult to get changed in a few seconds, you know." He snapped his fingers, and immediately, he was dressed in party clothes. Azul sighed.  
  
"You can be so lazy sometimes..." The brunet said as they walked along a hallway.  
  
"Really."  
  
"You don't even bother dressing yourself."  
  
"But you certainly enjoy undress -- "  
  
"Okay, you can stop there."  
  
"Boys, I'm glad you came!" Cybele greeted them, allowing both of them to kiss her on the cheek. Her elegant blonde hair, which was creeping into silver, was swept away from her face in a thick braid that brushed the floor. She pinched their cheeks (As was her custom), then allowed them in to the large room the party was in.  
  
.~.  
  
Flora had to admit, even though Charon looked extremely frightening as a woman, he looked handsomer as a man. She tried to remember when he started being a woman, but even though her age was reaching the ten-thousands, she wasn't sure. Well, with his kind of job -- leading dead people to the afterlife -- it would be a wonder if he hadn't been messed up in the beginning.  
  
"Charon, you look wonderful." She whispered into his ear, squeezing his hand slightly.  
  
"Do I? Thank you! I wasn't sure what to do with my hair..."  
  
Flora glanced down at Charon's deep purple hair. He had tied the strands into meticulous little braids, and they rattled when he walked. Though it still looked rather feminine, it was much better than his crazy hairstyle from during the day.  
  
"I'll go get something for us to drink. Anything specific you want?"  
  
Flora blinked, a hot blush rising to her cheeks.  
  
"Water's fine...." She mumbled. Charon left for the refreshment table. Looking around, she saw Eclipse and Coatlicue trying to calm a (Not to her surprise) mad Nereid.  
  
"Hi." Flora greeted them as she drew near.  
  
"Do you know who I had to come with?!" Nereid hissed, glaring at her. Flora blinked, taken aback at her outburst.  
  
"Now, now, Nereid, she's done nothing to get you mad..." Coatlicue said soothingly, touching the water princess's shoulder.  
  
"Well, who's her date?"  
  
"Charon..." Flora said shyly, weaving her fingers together before her. Nereid went silent.  
  
"Maybe I don't have it that bad after all..." She said, blinking.  
  
"She came with Zagan, FYI." Eclipse whispered to Flora.  
  
"Don't mention that fact!" Nereid shrieked, jumping up and down.  
  
"Nereid, you'll ruin your outfit!" Coatlicue cried.  
  
"Oh, Flora, there you are!"  
  
She turned to see Charon come towards their small group, a glass of water in one hand. Flora glanced back at her friends. Coatlicue was fidgeting. Nereid was staring, mouth open wide. Eclipse was sipping her wine thoughtfully.  
  
"No way that's Charon!" Nereid whispered fervently. Charon blinked innocently.  
  
"Yep, it's Charon. Isn't he cute?" Flora giggled, latching onto the boatsman's arm. She never got a chance to rub anything in Nereid's face without getting an injury, but if Iris caught Nereid trying to kill her... The princess would have to wait until at least tomorrow to dole out some pain. She was unaware of the fact Charon was blushing a red that would rival Kirin's flames. Nereid growled threateningly.  
  
"Flora..."  
  
"I can't help it if I got a cute date and you didn't!" Flora said, sticking out her tongue.  
  
"Um, Flora..." Charon started.  
  
"Yeah, I got stuck with that beast, Zagan." Nereid huffed impatiently. "How'd you get him out of a dress?"  
  
Coatlicue gasped as Eclipse nearly dropped her goblet of wine. (My gosh, Eclipse likes wine too much. 0_o) Charon had already dropped Flora's glass of water. Flora glared at Nereid, who was completely oblivious to the fact that she had said something out of line.  
  
"Nereid..." Flora growled. "You shouldn't have -- "  
  
Charon whirled, stomping away into the crowd. Flora let out an animalistic, frustrated sound.  
  
"Nereid! That was SO rude of you!"  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
"Oh, you ruined everything! Charon! Charon, come back!" She ran away from them to find her date.  
  
.~.  
  
Ulysses shifted uncomfortably from one foot to his other, gulping as Ramses never bothered to blink in his staring. The mage could swear the blonde was trying to bore a hole into him with just his eyes. Well, could he HELP it if Megaera had secretly liked him all along?  
  
With a sigh, he looked over to Azul and Haures. He didn't even WANT to be in this relationship! He wanted to be with Azul... Azul was so charming with that childish flair of his... His sparkling eyes, boyish laugh... Ohhh.... Curse that Haures.  
  
(Such a problem Ulysses has gotten himself into, ne?)  
  
.~.  
  
Flora looked around wildly, her eyes lit with fear. She hoped Charon hadn't done anything drastic.... Whirling a few times, she saw some open doors leading to balconies. She hadn't tried those yet. Pulling up her skirts around her ankles, she ran past them, peeking in. First one -- nothing. Second one -- Catastrophe and Iris sharing a seemingly intimate moment. Third one -- a lone plant. Fourth one -- Charon. Bingo.  
  
"Charon?"  
  
"Do you wonder why I got out of a 'dress,' too?" Charon asked coldly. Flora looked down, ashamed for ever thinking him a freak for cross-dressing. "Everybody was asking. They weren't aware of my feelings."  
  
"Oh, Charon..." She stood beside him, breathing in the cool, fresh night air. "Even gods make mistakes sometimes..."  
  
"Some of them more often than others, it seems." Charon snorted, the violet braids of his hair floating in the breeze behind him. "Do you want to know why I even bothered to come out to this party?" He asked again, his voice softer.  
  
"Not because of Iris?"  
  
"I can deal with Iris. I came... to admit something to myself."  
  
Flora touched his arm. "Admit what?"  
  
"That I can't hide behind a mask forever. It was a mask too many people saw through, anyhow... Even during my time on Weyard to watch, I think the people knew... that I wasn't... real."  
  
"You're real, Charon. Of course you are. What about you isn't real?"  
  
Charon stared into her face, tears brimming at the edges of his beautiful eyes.  
  
"You wouldn't understand..." He said finally. "You don't have a job like I do..."  
  
So it WAS that scary job of his that messed him up! But Flora kept this information away from him.  
  
"That doesn't make you any less important, Charon... You have an important job. If you weren't around, so many more dead souls would be wandering around -- "  
  
"Is that all I'm good for, though? Is that it?" Charon questioned her, his tone scalding.  
  
"Charon..." Flora stood on tiptoe to wrap her slender arms around his neck, cradling his head against her neck. His dark hair spilled around them. "You're annoying me. Stop it."  
  
"Flora, you -- "  
  
"Shut up." Flora whispered, pressing her lips to his in an effort to silence him.  
  
--On a balcony nearby....  
  
"Oooh! I could blackmail Flora with this!" Venus said, bouncing, as he scribbled the event down in his notepad. Mercury, his date, sat on the railing, looking at her nails boredly. Why didn't she go with Mars while she had the chance? Stupid, stupid, stupid!  
  
"Don't forget Cat and Iris..." Mercury drawled.  
  
"Oh yeah! Thanks, Merc!"  
  
Rolling her eyes at the nickname, she slid off and slipped back inside. Venus wasn't even aware that she had moved from the railing.  
  
--Back inside...  
  
Eclipse was still standing with a fuming (But thoroughly confused) Nereid, a quiet Coatlicue, and Procne, who had retired from dancing to talk. Eclipse, though a bit tipsy, sensed something and threw up a hand, creating a barrier over her and her friends. A moment afterwards, what appeared to be cake was thrown onto it.  
  
"What the -- ugh! What is all this?" Nereid backpedalled, seeing more of the cake-like stuff next to the hem of her dress.  
  
"I guess Haures got to the wine..." Procne sighed. "And Azul...."  
  
"The cake." Coatlicue said sadly.  
  
"Not good..." Nereid muttered.  
  
(Why do I get a feeling this is just SCREAMING *SEQUEL!!!*? 0_o)  
  
They shrieked as cake began raining their way again. Cybele was yelling for peace (But obviously not getting any) and, surprisingly, Iris was no where in sight.  
  
.~.  
  
Flora sighed contentedly into Charon's chest. One simple kiss had led to so many more until Flora was sure she would be dry-mouthed for the next few days. Throughout the entire time, Charon had remained silent.  
  
"Charon. . ."  
  
He was stroking her soft hair slowly, making her feel drowsy.  
  
"...Thank you, Flora."  
  
Flora looked up at him through sleepy eyes. He was -- she blinked -- smiling.  
  
"You're welcome, Char... Ohh, I feel so tired..." She yawned.  
  
"You haven't done anything rigorous." Charon said, helping her up from the bench they were sitting on.  
  
"If you don't remember, we *were* making out as though Catastrophe was going to blow up Haven tomorrow morning."  
  
Charon chuckled, one of his hands dropping to grasp her around the hip. As they neared the balcony door, Flora paused.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I... don't think it looks safe enough to go in there." She said, grimacing at the cake smears on the glass. Charon raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I always knew Azul would pull off something... We're not going to see either him or Haures tomorrow, that's for sure. I'll teleport you to your room."  
  
"That isn't necessary..." Flora started. But they had already appeared out of her room. She sighed. "Charon..."  
  
"It's the least I could do." He murmured, kissing her gently on the lips. "With all you've done tonight..."  
  
Flora blushed. "Would you like to come in?"  
  
"I'd be honored."  
  
.~.  
  
One day, back on Weyard...  
  
.~.  
  
Picard and Felix were having one of their daily spars out on the grass, Isaac and Garet standing nearby, watching the duel.  
  
"Diamond Berg!" Picard yelled. A large glacier fell out of the sky, plummeting towards Felix. Felix leaped out of the way.  
  
"You're not going to survive this!" Felix said confidently, raising his sword to the sky. "I summon Azul!"  
  
A blue beam came down, bathing the battlefield an icy aqua, then it mellowed out into a soft gold. As the lights disappeared, two figures could be seen...  
  
Felix blinked. Picard stared. Garet and Isaac stared with their mouths hanging open.  
  
There, in the middle of the grass, lay a sleeping Azul next to a head of black hair, a blanket draping their forms.  
  
"Nngmm?"  
  
"Wha...." Azul groaned, sitting up. He blinked drowsily, looking around at his surroundings. When he saw Isaac and Garet, he visibly jumped. "Haures..." He hissed.  
  
"...Nmmph?"  
  
"Haures," Azul whispered, "Tell me something..."  
  
"What, love?" Haures grumbled into the ground.  
  
"Should I kill them?" Azul asked, jabbing a finger at the adepts (Who were still staring).  
  
"No... I have a better idea."  
  
"And that would be?" The dragon said hotly, tugging the blanket up higher around his bare hips.  
  
"Let's go back to Haven and amuse ourselves further, hm?"  
  
Azul blushed as Haures draped an arm over his lap. With a sparkle of blue and black, the two disappeared.  
  
Picard was the first to recover.  
  
"...You were saying, Felix?"  
  
"Never mind..." The Venus adept sighed. He looked at Isaac and Garet. "Are you two still going to spar?"  
  
"Ummm.... No." Isaac said quickly. "I... I... I gotta check up on Mia..."  
  
"And, um... Jenna will kill me if I don't get back for lunch! Bye!" The two sped off. Felix blinked.  
  
"...Hey, it's going on four, isn't it?" He asked Picard. The Lemurian shrugged.  
  
"That was a good hint they dropped us, hmm?" Picard whispered suggestively, wrapping his arms around Felix's torso. Felix hit him over the head with the flat of his sword.  
  
"I swear... Gods these days..." Felix muttered to himself, leaving an unconscious Picard in the middle of the field. "These protectors of Weyard aren't at all good influences on children..."  
  
Oh, how so little he really knew.  
  
- - - E N D E - - -  
  
[*] = No, they hadn't just finished... you know. This has a PG-13 rating! No R-ish stuff! But at the end... hey, it's anyone's guess. ^_^  
  
Whaagh, I have way too many endings... -__-;; Should I do something further on the gods? I'm considering it... I'm finding Charon and Flora's relationship amusing to write upon. ^o^ And who the hell knows what really goes on in Haures and Azul's lives?  
  
[Taylor] You're going to traumatize people MORE than you already have?!  
  
^^ I enjoy traumatizing people. So do my friends. As you can tell... With somebody like Steph around... 0_o  
  
[Stephanie] Felix, come back! I'm sure pink would bring out your eyes!  
  
[Felix] YEAAAAAAAAGH!  
  
[Taylor] ......o_O Hand over the computer. Right now.  
  
Nyoooo! ::Clutches computer:: I have to WRITE with this thing!  
  
[Taylor] ...-_- Duhr....  
  
Um, yeah. The revising of TLE is going slowly. -o- FF.Net doesn't ACCEPT .wpd files, which is what was installed on my computer to being with... ::Sigh:: And if I transfer a .wpd document to this computer -- my Japanese one -- it completely messes up, or appears as a PICTURE. -__-;;; Yup. I hate my new computer! It isn't even that much faster than my 95! (Yes, I actually WAS using a 95. Ancient, ne?) Ugh!  
  
Okie, enough of my rants. Thanks for the fun times! Look out for some more god-ish one-shot fics... Coming in the near future. ^_^ I'm planning that ChouxSuzuki (Or Suzuka, take your pick) fic for Yu Yu Hakusho... That's yaoi. Geh! I have too much to do. ~_~ I'll finish that one-shot for Vilya, so she'll get off my case...  
  
-nothing is impossible to a willing heart.- -- john heywood  
  
Ja ne! 


End file.
